


Truth or Dare

by MartinChristopher



Category: British Actor RPF, Real Person Fiction, Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, BAFTA Awards, Birthday, Blow Jobs, Caring, Christmas, Dates, Declarations Of Love, Explicit Sexual Content, Feelings, First Kiss, First Time, Freebatch - Freeform, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Hand Jobs, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M, New Year's Eve, Off-screen Relationship(s), Relationship(s), Romance, Setlock, Sherlock - Freeform, Summer Vacation, Theatre, premieres
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-25
Updated: 2016-10-15
Packaged: 2018-05-16 06:03:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 100
Words: 236,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5816947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MartinChristopher/pseuds/MartinChristopher
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Benedict and Martin had had a date on the Christmas market, but the evening was interrupted by the first snow of the year. They ended up in front of Martins fireplace, playing Truth or Dare. And then an unexpected journey happened.</p><p>Reviews are very welcome :-)<br/>I'm a non native english speaker, so I'm sorry about the probably bad grammar. :-)<br/>But I hope, that l'll learn it by writing stories.<br/>So enjoy the story<br/>J.M.C.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. An interrupted evening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That's not a summary, but a little Info for all of the new readers.  
> I'm terribly sorry for the first 13 Chapters. Not because of the writing, but of the less paragraphs and how the chapters look like.  
> I know it's hard to read. I'll chance that, but in the moment, something is wrong with my edit. In my account it's already right, but the chapters showed up like Shi*  
> I'm sorry for that.  
> Hope you all keep reading, even if the first chapters are a little bit hard to read.
> 
> Okay, so it works again - Chapter one until six is done, I'll make all in the right style in the next few days.  
> M.C.

At the last weekend the first Christmas markets had opened their doors in and around London.  
Today it snowed for the first time this year, so most people got into a deeper Christmas mood but other people were a little displeased. Also Benedict who turned his car into Martins street. The two men had had an appointment this evening - for the Christmas market.  
They had sauntered around the market, had shared a few sweets and some other delicacies and both had drunk something hot, before Martin and finally Benedict complained more and more about the immense snowfall, the cold and the dreadful wind. After they had walked a lap around the Christmas market, the two finally decided for abort the evening prematurely because they were simply too cold and the mulled wine had changed this state only for a few minutes. 

Benedict cursed the weather on the way back to Martin's house, he had imagined the evening absolutely different and was annoyed that it had to be so cold and windy today of all days.  
Martin also sat quietly and inwardly angry next to Benedict, he had hoped the evening would last longer and won’t be over after less than two hours.  
Lately they hadn’t often seen each other and he had really been looking forward to the evening. Although, they had more contact since the past few months, more precisely since summer - but that was referring mostly only on calls and messages. When Martin was thinking about the last few month his bad temper disappeared a little bit. He smiled slightly to himself because the messages and phone calls had changed a lot since the summer. If one look at it closely it became clear that they were flirting with each other in every call and message.

Martin sighed as Benedict parked in front of his house.  
Now the evening and Ben's presence were definitely over. Both were frozen, their hair wet from the snow and Martin felt as if he were a block of ice. One look to Ben was enough and he knew Ben was doing the same, the man at the wheel froze.  
Benedict turned off the engine and turned slightly to Martin, he bowed his head and smiled at him. Martin smiled back.  
"Thanks for the ride home Ben."  
"You’re welcome." Ben smiled back.  
Martin smiled more, rubbing his frozen hands before he unbuckled himself and turned more to Ben. 

Both men looked at each other for a moment, the silence wasn’t uncomfortable for both but Martin broke it after he had leaned forward to hug Ben gently. His lips lay at Benedict's ear.  
"The evening with you was really nice, I'd like to have stayed longer."  
Benedict closed his eyes slowly as he felt Martin's arms around him, and he enjoyed Martin's murmuring voice in his ear.  
"I also enjoyed the evening... maybe we could do it again, it's the 4th of December... the Christmas Markets have just opened and we have both a little more space in the next few weeks."  
Martin smiled at Benedict's ear.  
"That would be great, I'm going to prepare for the North Pole, so that the weather can fuck off next time." He felt Benedict's smile and held him more gently in his hug. "Thanks again for the great evening Ben and for your very nice shuttle service to the front door."  
His hand gently stroked across Ben's damp coat on the back.  
"Again, you're welcome... what do you think about breakfast? Tomorrow... at yours...?"  
His arms held Martin still in the hug and he waits for a response.  
"That would be great Ben… then – um… yeah. I'm looking forward to tomorrow morning... um. Drive carefully and sleep well."  
The smile and beam of Benedict was still big, he nodded  
“Sleep well Martin… and I’m looking forward to tomorrow, too.” 

Martin smiled and opened the passenger door to get out.  
Ben smiled through the window and raised his hand, his greeting was returned and he wanted to wait until Martin was in the house before he drove off.  
Martin circled the car and hesitated for a moment whether he should take the path to the front door or to Ben again. He looked up at his door but turned ultimately to Ben to lock with two steps the distance between him and Ben's car and then he knocked on his window. 

Benedict let down the window and looked questioningly up to Martin. Martin put his hand on Ben's shoulder and smiled down.


	2. Martin's invitation

Martin looked to Benedict, ran his free hand through his own hair and murmured.  
"How… um…you feel about to stay… until breakfast?" Martin asked, slightly nervous.  
The smile on Ben's face became bigger.  
"If I may take a hot shower after you and you make some fire I got out in the next ten seconds and coming with you."  
Martins smiled warmly and he opened Ben's door.  
"Then out with you."  
Benedict let up the window, unbuckled himself, pulled the key and got out. He gave the car door a nudge and locked the car. 

Together they made their way into Martin's house and slipped out of their shoes. Ben pulled off the partially wet coat and hung his scarf at the wardrobe. Even Martin tormented himself out of his jacket.  
"Shit, I’m fucking freezing, I feel like a block of ice."  
"Probably an ice cube by your size, little Hobbit." Ben grinned sassy.  
That was punished with a punch to his upper arm and Martins middle finger.  
"I'll overthink.. um that sharing-my-shower-with-you-thing, you bastard." Martins lips formed also an really wide grin. "While I thaw myself in the shower... make yourself comfortable… if you need something to drink or eat help yourself... I’ll hurry in the bath... not that you’re an ice corpse when I’ll come back. Your fans will kill me, if I freeze you to death.”  
Ben just grinned at him with a wider grin.  
"Then shut up, you could be already ready." 

With a grin, Martin went to the bedroom, picked up a new jumper, a comfortable trouser and a couple of fresh and warm socks.  
After a few minutes, Benedict heard the steady sound of the shower and took Martin's invitation to make himself home. He sat the kettle on for a cup of tea for Martin and himself, while the smaller of the two was in the shower and the hot water was raining down on him.  
Martin's lips escaped a pleasant sigh and he felt the heat spreading back. He enjoyed the hot water a few minutes before he tormented himself out of the shower, dried himself and got dressed. 

When he left the bathroom, Benedict was still busy in the kitchen with the tea; with a big smile on his face, Martin walked with still wet hair over to Ben.  
"Oh tea, excellent idea... I'll make the fire."  
The teapot, cups and milk were waiting on the counter and Ben wanted to carry them over to Martin's living room.  
"Ah, already finished. Wonderful - I can’t wait to finally thaw again, to wear just this shirt was probably not a good idea today."  
"Yes, even without the wind and snow, you’d probably frozen tonight… I… well, um … if you’re freezing too much in this shirt, I can give you a jumper of mine. I have a jumper which is too large, my sister had taken the wrong size and I use it just to laze here at home. I think it would suit you and it’s warmer than this shirt."  
He looked up at Benedict with questioning warm eyes.  
"I take the offer, thank you Martin.” Benedict smiled softly.  
Martin went with a big smile on his face into the bedroom to fetch the jumper for Benedict, before he would disappear into the bathroom.

While Ben was in the bathroom, Martin brought the tea and the cups into the living room and made some fire. With the knowledge that the evening was still going to continue as long as they would fall asleep, the anger on this outrageous weather vanished and Martin thought that this was even better than the Christmas market.  
Of course it had been beautiful, the smell of the Christmas market, the lights, the happy faces of the adults and the laughing children. Strolling through the streets with Ben and the stands full of lovingly prepared things. Ben with the children's punch in his hand, because he didn't want anything with alcohol, because he would bring Martin to Potters Bar, the sharing of roasted almonds and the waffle and a chocolate spear. And then he had eaten something warm; thinking about it, he noticed how full his stomach was.  
Nevertheless, he liked it here a lot more, here he was at home and especially with Ben alone, it was not that they have been constantly addressed, but here it was completely excluded and he could enjoy the time alone with him.  
Completely in his thoughts, he didn’t notice that Benedict entered the living room. 

Ben was wearing Martin's jumper, which actually fit him very much.  
"I’m back… now just tea and making ourselves comfortable."  
Martin, who hadn’t heard Benedict coming, winced and turned his head to Ben.  
"God, you scared the shit out of me."  
His eyes scanned the man in front of him, how he stood there with still wet hair, bright green-blueish eyes, a smile on his face and in his, Martin's, jumper.  
"Um well - you look good,… I mean, um the jumper suits you."  
Ben smiled and closed the distance to the sofa which stood in front of the fireplace. 

Ben sat down in front of it, leaned against it and stretched out his feet to the fire.  
"Thanks Martin. Oh it’s perfect here. Can you bring me a cup of tea?" He smiled.  
Martin smiled at him, took the two filled cups and sat down next to Ben, in front of the sofa; he stretched out his legs and handed Ben a cup.  
"Thank you Martin." He smiled softly.  
“You're welcome. Marvellous, isn’t it? To be out of the cold. It was quite warm in the last few weeks and nobody had the feeling that we’ve autumn or winter and now it's suddenly cold. Thank goodness, that we don’t have to be on a set right now, like the time when we shot for Sherlock and it was fucking cold and you've got a pneumonia because you didn’t want to see a doctor and infected all of us - with your plague." Martin chuckled, and turned more to Ben.  
Ben listened to Martin's words and grinned more and more at the end.  
"Couldn’t even suspect that it is so bad, I thought it is a simple cold that goes as quickly as it had come. In addition, I wanted to share my plague. I'm not an egoist."  
Martins laughter filled the room.  
"Well thank you, dear. That’s something you can keep to yourself, that’s not something you must share with me or other people." 

Ben's laughter filled the room as well, and he had turned more to Martin, in one hand the cup of tea, the other arm lay on the sofa.  
"When I was a child, I always drank hot chocolate on cold days." Ben smiled.  
"Yes me too, now I drink this rarely. At home we also had a fireplace… and when it was too cold outside or it was a rainy day, my friends and I have played Truth or Dare, you know? God, I think the last time I’ve played it, I was sixteen… but it was still exciting, because you might be able to kiss your crush… or you had bad luck and it was embarrassing and you had to kiss someone you didn’t like this much. That was my part… mostly." Martin finished his monologue with a wide grin, and he saw the amused face of Benedict.  
"Yes, Truth or Dare, we have played that on every birthday, actually a terrible game but where you mention it already - we could play a round. It would be interesting and funny, I would guess, and probably very embarrassing… but maybe I learn something about you, that I can use against you… if you're angry, sassy and grumpy.” Ben chuckled. 

Martin showed him his two middle fingers with a big sassy grin. Benedict started to laugh again.  
"Then… Benedict - let's play. You start." Martin said with his big grin.  
He sat laterally to Ben, in one hand the cup, the other arm lay on the sofa, his eyes beamed joyfully in anticipation for the game; and he waited for Ben's decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like things that are simple, such as an alarm clock.  
> \- Martin Freeman -


	3. The game is on

Ben sipped his tea and looked at Martin.  
"I'm not sure whether I want to take dare in the first round. I know you quite well and sometimes you are very, very naughty, something terrible could come out of your mind" Ben grinned and studied him "Even though, I’m sure that your questions aren’t less terrible and challenging. For the start, I guess, I would prefer the truth."  
Martin sipped at his tea with a grin, his eyes in contact with Ben's.  
"I am a totally nice and kind person but you're right, of course I'm not going to ask you a harmless question, that would be totally boring. My question… um well, have you ever kissed a man or made a different experience with a man and I mean private and not professional on screen." 

Martin's eyes flit over Ben's face and this game came to him just in the right moment, it was an excellent excuse for questions like this. With that game, he has the chance to find out if he could make himself any hopes or whether it would be better to try to switch off the feelings he has for Ben, even though, he knew that this was no longer possible - not in his stage.  
The feelings for Ben were already to deep to switch them off easily. He had never fell in love with a man before and he wished he could look at Ben and tell him that he is hopelessly in love with him but the fear of loosing Ben as a friend was much bigger. 

Ben smiled and turned his cup in his hand, his gaze was softly directed to Martin.  
"No. No kiss and no other experience with men. Well, but I’m open to it, ultimately, also in front of the camera. Okay, my friend, it’s your turn - Truth or Dare?"  
The smaller man had his eyes still on Ben’s.  
"I’ll take Truth for now."  
"Then I'll give the question back, experiences with men off screen?"  
"Yeah I have. Um - what some guys try in their youth. It was with one of my best friends in my youth. A few kisses and... yeah a handjob. That's it and as well as you, I’m open to it on screen, no problems with it."  
His gaze was directed to Ben, who gently smiled at him.  
"Perhaps we share a kiss in the next Sherlock season, who knows what Steven and Mark have in their minds or what they have already written into the script." 

Martin, who was sipping his tea, almost choked and then grinned over at Ben.  
"That would please you, huh?"  
Ben grinned at him with bright eyes.  
Jesus, that was the last thing Martin needed, kissing Benedict, an on screen kiss or eventually more kisses and caresses. He didn’t trust himself, he knows that he wouldn’t be able to give Benedict just a normally on-screen kiss. He knew that this kiss would show what he feels and he didn’t want to risk this just because his heart suddenly think it have to fell in love with this damn hot Cumberbatch.  
"Okay no answer is also an answer Mr. Cumberbatch, um so it’s your turn - Truth or Dare?" 

Ben chuckled and sipped from his tea again; he felt the warmth, which already spread from the fire and felt currently really well here with Martin, just the two of them.  
"I’ll take Truth again."  
Martin grinned at him, over the rim of his cup, and his hand on the couch nudged Ben's shoulder.  
"Fucking coward. Okay again a question. Romantic and cuddly type of guy or rather an unromantic block of ice?"  
Ben's tea fluctuated close to the edge of the cup after Martins nudge, his face draws a lovely grin.  
"Next time I'll take Dare and to your question… I’m a hopeless cuddler, I really love it; romantic - I think I am, but I can also restrain the caresses and cuddles if I want to. Sherlock and Smaug aren’t big cuddlers, aren’t they?"  
He grinned lovely, ran his fingers wildly through Martin's almost dry hairs, before he lowers his hand back on the sofa. 

Martin bowed his head, half grinning and half smiling, his heart beat in his chest like mad because of Benedict's touch and he tried to bring his heartbeat back under control, which was easier said than done.  
His gaze rested on Ben and he hoped that he would say something because he didn't know what to say at the moment. As could Benedict read his mind, he said,  
“Come on Martin, take Dare."  
Martin's eyes were still fixed on Ben's, he had seen the wicked in it, he smiled and nodded.  
"Well, I take Dare. Out with it, what’s the terrible thing you had planned in your head?"  
Ben rubbed his hands together.  
"Wonderful, then get up and fetch me some chocolate!" 

Martin, who had put down his empty tea cup beside him, began to laugh, he punched Ben softly into his belly.  
"Didn’t you eat enough at the Christmas market?"  
Ben laughed as well and rubbed his own belly after Martin's soft punch.  
"Of course. I'm actually full, but a piece of chocolate or two are always fine, so come on Martin. I'm sure you have chocolate, move your nice little Hobbit butt and bring me some chocolate." Ben says, still laughing because the warm hearty laugh from Martin infected him.  
Martin had got up in the meanwhile and shuffled to a drawer in the living room, still laughing.  
"That you always have to keep me busy. What do you want… milk, with nuts or dark?"  
Ben, who was still grinning and happy at the mention of the varieties, turned his head to Martin.  
“Milk would be great and if you hadn’t taken Dare, you wouldn’t have to get up." 

His eyes looked up to Martin as he comes back with the chocolate and drops it into his lap, on his face a gentle smile, his fingers run gently through Ben’s hair, while he sat down next to Ben again.  
Ben closed his eyes briefly at Martin's touch and then fished the chocolate out off his lap and opened it.  
"Okay. I’ve promised that I would take Dare now, so what’s my task?" Ben smiled, and unpacked the chocolate.  
"When you're done with the chocolate you can give me a massage, the neck and my shoulders… " Martin blurted it out boldly.  
It was worth a try, what did he have to lose, except that Ben flipped him the bird and he would have to think about something else.  
Ben raised an eyebrow and pushed a piece of chocolate in his mouth, before he put the chocolate aside.  
"Seriously Martin?"  
"Yes, five minutes!"  
"Five minutes? Okay, then sit down in front of me… that's more comfortable… " Ben smiled, and opened his legs a little bit, so that Martin could sit between them. 

Martin nodded and went slowly into the desired position of Ben, surprised that his colleague and friend accepted the task.  
He sat in front of Ben, his heart was racing and in his ears, his heartbeat was so loud, that he was afraid Ben would hear it too. His ears throbbed and his stomach tingled, while Ben had not even begun. In his mind he punched himself. This game wouldn’t end well if he wasn’t careful. He wondered if it would be better to laugh and say that it would have been just a joke. However, before he could think about it, he could feel Ben's hands on his shoulders.  
He winced and felt his pulse racing even more, though, the man behind him not even touched his skin, only the jumper.  
Ben's fingers went to Martin's neck and massaged him with a gentle pressure.  
Martin escaped a pleasant sigh, he dropped his head forward and closed his eyes.  
"I have said five hours, haven’t I?" Martin asked with a low voice, and enjoyed Ben's massage.  
If he was honest, he had a headache and Ben's massage helped extremely well.  
Ben chuckled behind him.  
"No Martin, we talked about five minutes and not hours."  
"Too bad!”  
Ben chuckled and massaged especially Martins neck, because on his shoulders, he couldn't feel Martin's skin and he didn’t know how Martin would react, if he would ask him to take off this jumper.  
Martin was still sitting with his head bowed and eyes closed in front of Ben, he had given up to bring his heartbeat and the butterflies in his stomach under control, so he rather relaxed and focused on Ben's touches. 

Goosebumps spread abruptly across his back, his arms and his neck as Ben ran his fingers softly over Martin's neck, in his hair and caressed him gently on the back of the head, five minutes later. Instinctively, he had to shake because it was extremely enjoyable.  
"God. Fuck, are you crazy?" Martin rubbed across his arms and ran his hand through his hair.  
Ben smiled behind him and his deep voice murmured softly.  
"I've probably discovered a very sensitive and erogenous body part of Martin Freeman."  
"Um, possible. Yeah, well… my headaches are gone, so thanks Ben.”  
With these words, Martin went back next to Ben in front of the sofa and looked up with a cautious smile.  
"Now, it’s my turn. I think I'll take Truth again."  
"Okay. I have to think about a question." Benedict closed his eyes, put his head back on the sofa - thinking. 

Martin had asked him very intimate questions, previously; logical after all they were playing Truth or Dare. Nevertheless, he felt as if he'd fill out questions on a dating site to find the right partner. Maybe he should ask Martin some questions, who are more intimate.


	4. Benedict Cumberbatch

Martin had changed his sitting position, he supported his head on his hand. His eyes rested gently on Benedict's face, who looked like it rattled in his head. A gentle smile played around Martins lips and then it became a smirk. Now, only the abutting fingertips were missing and he would look like Sherlock.  
Martin grinned briefly but his gaze was warm again as he continued watching Ben, because here in front of him sprawled clearly Benedict, with jeans, socks, legs stretched out comfortably, Martins jumper, arms crossed, a slight beard, his hair shorter - brighter. 

Martin dreamed to himself as Ben said something with closed eyes.  
"How old have you been when you had your first kiss?"  
The question was pronounced and now he was a bit disappointed with himself. That was not a question that would feel Martin more on the tooth. That was actually a completely harmless question and while he waited for Martin to respond, he made up his mind to formulate his next question more targeted and more intimate.  
It was quiet in Martin's house, the only thing Ben could hear was the steady crackling of the fire. He opened his eyes, turned his head on the sofa to Martin and saw that he was far away with his thoughts.  
"Martin?... Hello?... Mr. Freeman?" He raised his hand and waved it in front of Martin's face. "Watson, are you still with us?" 

Martin blinked and looked down to Ben, in his gaze complete irritation.  
"What? Have you asked a question? I was in thoughts. I’m sorry."  
Ben chuckled.  
"Yes… when you had your first kiss?"  
Martin ran his hand over his face.  
"My first kiss? I can’t give you a definite answer, if I’m honest. It was in the 2nd or 3rd year of primary school, on the schoolyard... behind a bush... with a girl from my class... "  
The two men looked at each other, a smile spread across their faces and ended in a hearty laugh.  
Ben ran his hand through his hair while he was laughing.  
"You've just nabbed a girl in the schoolyard, pulled it behind a bush and kissed her? The idea is wonderful. A small, young Martin, with a satchels on his back, is looking for a girl and then drags it behind a bush in the schoolyard and pressed a kiss on her. I hope you have changed your method in the last few years."  
Martin wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes and tried to calm down.  
"You're an idiot... I wanted my privacy during my first kiss."  
Ben's hand slapped softly Martins thigh while he was laughing.  
"Of course, Martin! Even then, the British press and all the girls wanted to know all about your love life and taking pictures of you.”  
"Yeah, it started very early." Martin laughed, and Ben grinned widely at him.  
"It’s good that you're not cocky! I take also Truth, old bean." 

"I'll give you old bean! Again a question… um okay. Did you ever peed in a swimming pool?"  
"Of course I have, everybody had done it as a child. To calm you down, I don’t do it now. Now, I use toilets." Ben grinned up to Martin.  
The face of Martin also graced a grin and in his eyes glared disgust at the same time.  
"Oh that reminds me of something. I believe, I haven’t told you, yet. I swear a true story from the Hobbit set. That was for the filming of the second movie, for the scene in which we are sitting in the barrels and drive through the water. They had build a special set with a lot of water. It was a circle and a generator produced rapids, so we sat in these barrels for a few days during filming. Peter was excited like a little kid with his new toy. After rehearsal, I realized that I wouldn’t sit in one of the barrels, I would hang on the outside of a barrel. So I was in the water, in this established channel, hanging there on the barrel, we were shooting for a while and at noon on the first day of shooting for this scene, Adam said to me that he had noticed that some of the other dwarves hadn't been at the loo, he knew that some of them have peed in the water. Yes? You know? I was IN the water, I was hanging on the outside of the fucking barrel and had to go under the water and I had to pretend that I swallowed some water and of course during the scene I didn’t have to pretend that I swallowed water, because it really happened. So I had that water in my mouth... with fucking dwarf piss in it." 

The room was filled with Benedict's deep laughter, Martin looked at him and saw that Benedict's body was shaking from his laughter, wiping repeatedly the tears from his face. Martin slapped him gently on the belly.  
"Hello? Would you be so nice and pretend that you had a little pity on me, at least?"  
He pinched him again in the belly, but Ben's deep and honest laughter infected him and he couldn’t hold back any longer and fall into a big laugh.  
"Too bad, that I wasn’t on set this day." Benedict gasped, and put a hand on Martin's arm. "Sorry, it’s just too funny."  
Martin closed his eyes and shook his head, while he was still laughing.  
Benedict calmed down slowly, his laughter became a grin, a smirk and then a gentle smile. 

Even Martin had calmed down, his stomach hurt from the laughing and he looked gently down to Ben again.  
"I think, I have to decide again… I take Truth Ben. I’m too lazy to do something."  
"Yes I agree, it’s too cozy and warm to make big moves. So then a question… are you currently in love?”  
This question had been in his mind for a while, but somehow it didn't come over his lips, and he hoped Martin would respond with a easy no. A simple no and he could try his luck to win his heart. 

Martin looked at Ben and his stomach clenched uncomfortably, his pulse raced up again, and he turns his head to the fireplace, staring into the fire and forced himself to calm down. His head buzzed, the question was whether he was in love, not in whom. So he didn't have to respond to that, he didn’t have to tell him who it was, only that he was in love. He must tell Benedict the truth, he couldn't pretend that he isn’t in love with someone, because he has waited to long with his answer. It was obvious, that he was in love and that he has something to hide because he had turned his head away from Ben. He cleared his throat, then looked back to Ben. 

“I'm currently in love with someone."  
That wasn’t a good answer for Benedict, apart from the slight chance that Martin was in love with him because of their flirting in the last few month.  
"Oh, great, well that's great, isn’t it?"  
"How you take it, right? One also must have the chance that the chosen person has the same feelings."  
Ben bowed his head gently.  
"So the person doesn't know anything, yet?"  
Martin laughed hysterically.  
"Oh god! No! Quite hopeless, very hopeless, it’s okay... not bad, I’ll get over it."  
He waved his hand pejorative to pull Benedict away from this subject. Jesus that was a really big lie, Martin thought.  
Ben looked softly to Martin.  
"So not really deep in love?"  
"Shit. Of course, I’m fucking deep in love. I’ll never get over it. I never had such deep feelings for someone... not even at the beginning of a relationship. I am absolutely hopelessly in love, like a teen. Love is shit sometimes. Come on, let us stop that. I don’t want to think about it now, just pick Truth or Dare, Cumberbatch!" Martin murmured, hoping that Benedict wouldn’t ask more questions about this topic. 

Benedict had listened to him, wondering who the person was. Who was the person, Martin fell deep in love with, that he wouldn’t reveal his feelings to this person, despite the fact that he has obviously love sickness.  
He guessed that it was someone he had met professionally. That it was, wasn’t it? Most of your time, you spent on sets, theater, talk shows, events and film premieres, so it was obviously that you fell in love with a colleague or a person you met there.  
He knew, if he would ask Martin for a name, he would finish the game or simply fell into silence. If he had wanted to tell him, who it was, he would have done it already. 

Benedict ran is hand across the neck.  
"I take Truth, too comfortable to do more than talk." Ben smiled gently to Martin - his eyes fixed with Martin's, who nodded.  
"What are you wearing at night while sleeping?"  
Ben grinned and bowed his head.  
"What kind of questions are in your head, and what do you want to know about me, you're quite curious Martin. To answer your question, I wear nothing or just my pants."  
Martin returned his grin.  
"Ben, you've forgotten what we play, I don't need to ask when your birthday is or how you like to spend your free time. First of all, I know that and secondly, it would be boring. And third... seriously? I need always a shirt and my pants or pajama pants."  
"Who knows maybe I have secret hobbies of which you know nothing and which show my true face." Benedict's facial expression had changed to an evil grimace, while he was speaking but it became immediately a grin as he looked in Martins amused face.  
"Sometimes just shit comes out of your mouth... rather ask a question!" 

Still grinning, Ben closed his eyes again to think. He had to think of a good question, a question on which Martin would eventually answers and thus betrayed whom he had so much in his heart or to whom he had given his heart.  
He enjoyed the silence and the warmth of the fireplace but most the fact, that he was able to cuddle all the time in Martins jumper. The whole evening, he already felt absolutely comfortable in Martins near, what had always been the case, but this well-being was different, somehow there was a feeling of home.  
Martin slipped in a different position again. Just like Benedict, he leaned back with his back to the sofa, laid his head on the seat and closed his eyes. In the meanwhile, he was grateful about the weather, he probably wouldn’t have asked Benedict to stay, if the evening wouldn’t have been ended so fast at the Christmas market. He probably would have been say goodbye in the car and would've been alone, possibly with a book on the couch or bed already. This was much better, even if he had bringing himself several times in awkward situations this evening. 

Martin opened his eyes and turned his head to Benedict.  
"Do you practice for your role as Sherlock and you are in your mind palace or were you thinking about my question?"  
Ben opened his eyes, he turned his head to Martin and smiled.  
"I've already a question, the silence was just nice. My question… it is a bit more complex, so be a good listener. If you had the opportunity to kiss a famous person, no matter what kind, if totally famous, less famous, front of the camera, behind the camera, whether singer or whatever, whether it would be realistic that this would ever happen. If you had the opportunity to kiss this person, who would it be?"

Martin looked at him, he knew that Benedict was clever enough and he knew exactly what this question was aimed, but before he could think about dish up a lie, he answered seriously and honestly with a warm voice. 

"Benedict Cumberbatch." 

His heart was racing after he had said it, his eyes shone warm and honest over to Ben, who looked at him speechless, his heart freaked out. 

Martin shut his eyes, took a deep breath, his head buzzed again, a thousand thoughts went through his mind, what should he say now, it was out and Benedict had understood what he had said to him. He had to say something, but his thoughts were so confused that he couldn’t form an ordinary sentence, so nothing came over his lips.


	5. I would choose Martin Freeman

Benedict closed his eyes briefly, took a deep breath, remembered Martin's words to his question, the question whom he would kiss, the hidden question, with whom you are in love with and Martin had replied - Benedict Cumberbatch. The response, Ben had hoped for but absolutely not counted.  
Benedict Cumberbatch.  
He knew, Martin had understood the question behind his who-would-you-kiss-question and his words had been completely honest. 

He opened his eyes, looked at Martin, whose rib cage raised and lowered quickly, and his eyes were still closed.  
Benedict swallowed again and said with an excited, gentle voice,  
"Actually, I'm not a rule-breaker in games... but this time I'll do it... so it’s your turn again and this time there is no choice, I decide that you take Dare... and my Dare to you is... "  
Martin had opened his eyes again, his gaze wide-eyed at Benedict, who now spoke again.  
"Do it! Just do it. Kiss this bloke named... Benedict Cumberbatch."

Martin's eyes rested on Ben's and his heart nearly stopped at his words. He noticed how his hands were suddenly wet and his mouth dry as dust, he swallowed hard. His eyes were big and looked more deeply into Benedict’s eyes. He realized that he had stopped breathing and breathed now frantically.  
His eyes slowly wandered down to Benedict's lips.  
Damn, how many times had he wished that he could just kiss him and now he was sitting here, totally unable to say anything or to move. 

Martin breathed and slowly raised his hand, put it on Benedict's cheek, his thumb gently stroked back and forth. Ben put his hand on Martin's arm, caressed gently upwards to his shoulder.  
Martin closed the distance between them; he closed his eyes slowly and put his lips breathy on Ben’s and kissed him gently. His hand ran nervously in Ben's hair, in search of stability, while Ben replied his kiss lovingly and carefully. Ben's hand slid gently from Martin’s shoulder to the back and all the way down to his waist. Martin leaned more into the kiss, one hand still in Benedict’s hair, the other stroked over its chest to the side of the neck and then softly to his cheek.  
Benedict enjoyed the kiss, the first kiss he shared with a man. Martin slipped closer during the kiss, his heart was racing incessantly and his belly tickled like mad. He deepened the kiss slowly and licked with his tongue gently over Ben's lips, who opened his lips with pleasure. Benedict's hand was still on Martin’s hip, who came even closer.  
Martin swung a leg over Ben's lap and sat down on it, his hand still in Ben's hair, the other on its cheek. He lost himself completely in this kiss with Ben, enjoyed the soft lips, Ben’s exploring tongue, the closeness to him.  
Ben's hand ran slowly under Martin’s jumper and his fingertips caressed Martin’s bare skin on the back. For the second time that night, goose bumps spread across Martin’s back, his arms and his neck and nape abruptly; he had to shake himself again and sighed in the kiss. He had to break apart because he was out of breath. 

His hand slid out of Benedict’s hair down to his cheek and he cupped his face softly in his hands, he leaned back slightly, opened his eyes and looked directly into Ben's. Martins eyes shone, he cleared his throat and mumbled nervously,  
"Um. Fuck... I’m sorry Ben. Uh, you probably have expect another kiss at your invitation. I, Jesus, I’m so fucking sorry..."  
Ben's hand was still under the jumper on Martins lower back, his other lay on Martin’s chest above the jumper and his heart pounded loudly.  
"Yes. It was too short. You can be glad that you ran out of breath, another excuse, I wouldn’t have accepted."  
He looked at Martin and his lips formed a warm smile.  
"What?!" Martin murmured, and his hands caressed down to Ben’s chest; he was still sitting on his lap. 

Ben's hands moved smoothly up to Martin’s cheeks, he looked at him, smiled softly and said in a deep voice,  
"I wanted to say that you should come to breathe, then please continue kissing me."  
Martin closed his eyes slowly, enjoyed Ben’s caresses and muttered,  
"You... want that, too?"  
Ben leaned forward to close his lips with Martin’s; his kiss was gently and after his kiss, he murmured against Martins lips,  
"Otherwise, I wouldn’t have offered you to kiss me." 

Benedict leaned back again and looked at Martin questioningly.  
"Why didn’t you said anything to me Martin? You have such deep feelings and apparently the thought that I'm probably not more than a friend and colleague made you very sad. Why didn't you say anything?"  
Martin breathed, Ben's words seeped slowly through his mind, some words made no sense.  
"Because I was afraid, you have become a good friend and suddenly there was so much more as friendly feelings. I was afraid of your reaction and to lose you as a friend. We’re working together Ben... very intense, it's not that we’re only in the same series, we are Sherlock and Watson and not Sherlock and... I don’t know - Anderson. We have a lot of shooting time together, I didn’t want to ruin the chemistry that we have. I... " 

Ben pressed his lips gently on Martin’s, so that he finally stopped to spill out such a nonsense.  
"Martin, even if I hadn’t more feelings for you than just as in a friendship, I would’ve never rejected you nor I would’ve cut the friendship with you, that's nonsense. I don’t want to lose you. Not as a colleague and not as a friend... in fact I would quite like to add something new to our list, colleagues, friends and partners." Ben whispered against Martin's lips.  
Martins hands still lay on Ben's chest, he could feel his rapid heartbeat through the jumper, still feel Ben’s lips on his own.  
"The... you... what? You, honestly...? You want to be my partner... you want me to be your partner?"  
"Hmm I like you the same way you like me and if I remember me correctly, you said that you’re very much in love with me and I am in love with you as well." 

He wrapped his arms around Martin, whose eyes began to glow happily, he put his arms around Ben and leaned forward into a deep hug.  
"Now, we have to sit three hours in exactly that position... until I've calmed down and my knees are no longer soft as pudding."  
Ben has started to laugh involuntarily.  
"Um it’s really nice to have you on my lap and in my arms... but I think it will be uncomfortable in less than three hours."  
Martin enjoyed Benedict’s laugh in his ear and snuggled even more into Ben’s arms.  
"Okay, two hours and fifty-nine minutes are acceptable, too" Martin chuckled into Ben's ear and gave him a soft kiss on his temple. 

Ben ran his hand lovingly across Martin’s back, eyes closed. Martin smiled, enjoyed it and said with a low and soft voice,  
"I must say I’m very happy about the snow, otherwise I wouldn’t have asked you, how you would feel about staying until breakfast. And I'm glad that I've mentioned this game, even if I have regretted it every now and then. The questions and your presence... this massage, it all felt so much closer and intimate than the flirting over the phone or through our messages."  
"You've been asking these questions like a dating website." Ben smiled, and pulled him closer into the embrace. "And I'm also happy about the course of the evening, the Christmas market was really nice, except the cold, but the rest of our... date... I liked much more, because it was just you and me. We hadn’t seen us much in the last months and the few times we’ve met, many other people were around, on the set or press events or premieres. At your place today we were alone, just the two of us."  
"Hmmm, just the two of us, perfect." Martin muttered into the embrace, his heartbeat had calmed down, his stomach still tingled from time to time, he relaxed more and Ben’s stroking at his back helped very well. 

Martin snuggled more into the hug and was more laying than sitting on Benedict, who was leaning back against the sofa. Ben smiled to himself, he continued stroking Martin’s back. From time to time his fingertips caressed Martin’s hairline at the nape. His heartbeat had calmed down and he relaxed more and more.  
"I like your caresses, Benny." Martin sighed with an enjoying voice in Benedict’s ear, and then bit his own lip as he realized how he had called Ben. "Oh, you don’t like that, I'm sorry." 

That was right, Benedict prefers to be called Benedict, even though, he was used to be called Ben by some people. Martin’s gentle Benny made somehow an exception and it felt good to be called like that by him.  
"Yes... no, therefore, actually I don’t like that, but to hear it from you is different... I’ve liked it, so please go on with it."  
His hand ran gently into Martin’s hair.  
"Um, that’s good! Benny? Can we lie down? Just here? I can fetch up a more comfortable blanket."  
"That would be nice." Benedict murmured, and broke apart from Martin, who got up and smiled down to Ben. 

Ben also beamed up with a big smile, he grabbed Martin's hand before he could walk away.  
"If you're here again... I would like to go on with the kissing... you wanted to kiss this man called Cumberbatch. If I'm honest, I don't know why you picked this tall, strange looking guy... if you would have asked me, who I'd like to kiss, I had said Martin Freeman, do you know him? He’s a small and handsome guy, quite naughty and sassy, but at the same time he’s really charming and adorable." Ben smiled as he saw Martin’s amused grinning face.  
"Who the fuck is Martin Freeman? Never heard of him. I must have missed him, probably because of his height."

The two men looked at each other and started laughing.  
God, it was redemptive to laugh with Benedict again, after these last very emotional minutes or how much time had passed since Benedict’s last question? Martin had no idea and he didn’t care. He just felt how happy he was right now. That this here with Benedict seemed suddenly so easy and above all totally right and that even though, he never has been in a relationship with a man. Now it felt as if it had always been like that.


	6. Testing the sofa

While Martin went to the bedroom to pick up his blanket and a pillow, Ben put a few new pieces of wood into the fireplace.   
He looked forward to the night with Martin, no matter what would happen; and he hoped that they wouldn’t only spend the breakfast together tomorrow, but also the rest of the day. If he was completely honest, he would have absolutely no problems to spend even the whole weekend here with Martin. He wanted to enjoy it, every minute of it.

Martin came back with the blanket and the pillow and drop both things on the large sofa. He looked over to Ben, who stood in front of the fireplace.   
Martin closed the distance between them, put his arms around him and leaned his cheek against Ben's back.   
Benedict had heard him coming and closed his eyes at Martins gentle hug, he put his hands on Martin' arms.   
"Now we can make ourselves comfortable on the sofa." Martin said gently.  
Ben gently squeezed his hands and turned around in Martins hug. He padded slowly with him toward the sofa.   
"Before we lie down, I take off my trouser... that's too uncomfortable."   
Martins hands moved gently to Benedict's bum.   
"What are you waiting for Benny?"   
Ben smiled down at him; he felt Martins hands, which wandered slowly to his belt and his trouser button, and opened the belt as well as the button.   
Ben bowed his head, his hands stroked down to Martins waistband to push down his sweatpants.   
"Same for you."   
Martin smiled and slipped out of his pants and socks, Benedict did the same. 

Benedict pressed Martin gently onto the sofa, and Martin pulled Ben with him, so that Benedict lay between his legs.   
Ben took the blanket and pulled it over himself and Martin, his eyes beamed down at his boyfriend.   
Martins arms were wrapped around Ben.   
"Can we come back to the kissing, Benny... at best the whole night?"   
Ben's nose stroked over Martin's and his lips caught the lips of his boyfriend for a loving kiss, his hands ran into Martins hair. Martin’s hands wandered under Ben's jumper and he did little circles with his fingers on the bare and warm skin. Ben let out a pleasant sigh as he felt Martins fingertips on his back, he deepened the kiss with him. Their tongues danced gently with each other and explored each other. Martins hands wandered with pressure Ben's back upwards, and even pushed the jumper up, he sighed into the kiss. The feeling of Benedict's closeness was incredibly.   
Benedict enjoyed the new feeling as much as Martin; he pulled him closer and into a passionate kiss, that showed his feelings for him even more clearly. Martin’s fingertips slid gently down to Bens lower back and his hand caressed into Benedict’s shorts, his fingers caressed Ben’s butt. The tingling in Benedict's belly became even bigger; he needed to break the kiss and gasped for air when he felt Martin’s hand on his butt.   
"Martin." He moaned against his lips. 

Martin smiled and pulled his hand slowly back and put it in Ben's hair.   
Ben replied Martins smile, pressed a kiss on his cheek, then a second; his lips wandered gently down to Martins neck, he distributed there a couple of kisses. Martin let out a rough moan. Ben enjoyed Martins hand in his hairs, the fingers had begun to play gently with his strands.   
Martin's eyes were closed, his fingers played gently with Ben's hair and he felt his heart beating fast. He enjoyed Ben's caresses and his fantasies were nothing in contrast to the reality. It was just fantastic and amazing to be so close to Ben, to feel his heartbeat, his lips on his, his lips on his skin, his bare legs on his bare skin. He couldn’t get enough of it. The Kissing with his best friend in his youth wasn’t that good and incredibly in his memories. That what happened here with Ben was mind blowing and he never wanted to miss it again, his hand ran through Ben's hair and pressed Bens face more to his neck. He has his head stretched slightly to offer more space and sighed again and again when Ben distributed more kisses on his neck.   
Ben accepted the invitation with pleasure and his lips went smoothly over Martin's neck up to his ear and distributed there little kisses, before his tongue licked a wet trace from Martins’s ear down to his neck. His teeth gave him a gentle bite there. 

Martin clawed his hand into Ben's hair and moaned.   
"Jeez... Benny do that again!" He had barely finished it as he felt again a gentle bite of Ben, he purred and ran his fingers through Ben’s hair.   
Ben smiled against Martin's neck and ran his nose over the place in that he had bitten.   
"Now I already know two sensitive spots... nape and neck."   
Martin smiled and snuggled himself even closer to him, the goose bumps spread all over his body.   
"Mhh... I also know two... your hair and your butt." He gently lifted an eyebrow and pressed a kiss on Benedict's temple.   
"Absolutely right, Martin... it feels really good what you’re doing." He put his head on Martins chest, snuggled into his jumper, take a pinch of Martin’s scent and closed his eyes.

That with Martin felt like home as had he arrived at home. Arrived in what he had searched for so long and he had found it, he had found it in Martin and he wouldn’t let it go, he wouldn’t let Martin go. He felt Martin’s arm around him, the fingers of his other hand stroked softly through his hair, played with it over and over again. He could hear and feel Martin's heartbeat, his lips kissed his hair every now and then.   
"I never had thought that I will ever have you this close to me." Martin muttered in Benedict's hair.   
"Hmm, me too. I guess, that I wouldn’t have said anything, too. I mean we both never had been in a relationship with a man... I have absolutely no experience with it... and yours is quite a long time ago. I hadn’t seen a chance, that you could feel more than friendship. Until you have twisted my head and made me falling in love with you, I thought I’m absolutely heterosexual... now I'm... well,... um... Martinfreemansexual?" He pressed a gentle kiss on Martins chest and smiled.   
"Then I'm probably Benedictcumberbatchsexual." 

Ben grinned against his chest.   
"Who is not, Martin?" Martin laughed into Benedict's hair.   
"I am the naughty and sassy guy, Benny, since when you’re so convinced of yourself?"   
Ben grinned and nuzzled his cheek against Martins chest.   
"Your naughty, sassy and sometimes rude nature has already rubbed off on me. Since I know you in private, I suddenly use words like fuck and shit in interviews... you're not a really good deal for me."   
Martin continued laughing and pressed a kiss on Ben’s hair.   
"Now it's too late anyway, so you can stay with me."   
"The trouble with you is... you gave interviews... constantly saying fuck and shit and other rude things... you show your middle finger on premieres... but it’s in a way really charming and lovely and the fans are happy about that and like you even more. It’s incredible."   
Ben felt the vibrate from Martin’s laughter in his chest.   
"Yes, what can I say Benny... I know how it works and I’m a really likeable person.”   
Benedict laughed and snuggled closer.   
“What are you laughing at?” Martin laughed with a warm voice.   
“You’re a moron, Martin.” Ben laughed

 

The fireplace spent more warmth and light, the fire flickered into the room and made a cracking noise, occasionally.   
The two men were silent on the sofa; Benedict had slowly slipped on the sofa and lay on his side. Martin had turned on his side too, he faced Ben and snuggled his face in Benedict's neck, pushed one leg between Benedict’s. His arms were wrapped around Ben's slender body. Ben's arms held Martin in a tight but soft embrace, the blanket lay still over their bodies.   
Martin closed his eyes and breathed in Benedict's scent, and he enjoyed the silence and Benedict's lightly caresses across his back - under the jumper. Today he wouldn’t get up again and tomorrow not before his stomach or his bladder would cry for attention.   
Ben nuzzled his cheek at Martin's head and closed his eyes, his fingertips drove gentle circles on Martin's bare skin under the jumper. He was just happy to cuddle with Martin, to have him in his arms and that all was exciting enough. Today he didn't need to explore more, his heart was racing already incessantly through the cuddling, the gentle stroking and kisses they had been exchanged. His heart and the butterflies in his stomach wouldn’t be able to manage more intense and intimate touches today - if he was honest. They had enough time.

Martin enjoyed the feeling of Ben's bare skin on his legs, he enjoyed the caresses on his back and the soft kisses from Benedict, which Ben placed from time to time on his hair. He noticed that he slowly drifted off to sleep, placed tiredly one last little kiss on Ben's neck and murmured against it.   
"I can't keep my eyes open any longer; the warmth of your body, your hug, this caress, your closeness, make me tired... I mean that positively."   
"I know what you wanted to say Martin. I feel the same."   
Martin rubbed his nose across Ben's neck and ran a hand under his jumper, he snuggled as close as possible and said sleepily,   
"Before I fall asleep I want to say goodnight Benny." He yawned, feeling the slight scrape of Ben's beard on his temple. "Great day today... you have to write something in your calendar. December the 4th, first anniversary with Martin." His voice was low, slowly and tiredly.   
Benedict smiled and caressed with his slightly scratchy cheek across Martins temple.   
"December the 4th, anniversary with Martin... and the best day of the year 2015. Good night, love.” 

Ben's fingers still painted slowly circles on Martins back, he noticed, that Martin snuggled closer.   
Martin had heard him, also wanted to respond but the sleep overcame him.   
Also Benedict's stroking faltered more and then stopped completely.


	7. The first morning

The fire had gone out over night, the two men still lay asleep under the blanket.   
It was shortly after 9 am, when Martins mobile phone rang and yanked Benedict out of sleep.   
Martin growled and nuzzled his face at Benedict's neck.   
The phone rang a while and then it was quiet in the living room again.   
"Hmh, thank god it has stopped." He snuggled closer to Martin and kissed his head.   
Martin purred and ran his hand out of the jumper and down to Benedict's butt, he stroked gently over Ben's bum.   
"Hmm, I hope he doesn’t call again." He pressed Ben a tired kiss on the neck. 

Ben's hand was under Martins jumper, his hand stroked gently to Martin's belly and caressed him there.   
Both men sighed under the caressing of the other.   
Martin stroked with his fingertips across Ben's hip, who ran his hand again over Martin's belly.   
Ben felt Martin's hand wandering under the jumper and increasingly pushed him up slowly. He heard his gentle sleepy murmur.   
"You’ve said you're just sleeping in pants."   
Ben chuckled by Martins justification and loosened his arms slowly, so that Martin could pull his jumper over his head.   
Martin let the jumper fall carelessly from the sofa and put his hand back on Benedict's side; he caressed his way up and across Ben's bare chest, his lips kissed along Ben's collarbone and pressed a loving kiss on Benedict's Adam's apple. 

Martins caresses elicited Ben a harsh sigh, followed by a deep purr and the goose bumps spread over his body. His hand under Martins jumper went up even further, pushed the jumper upwards.   
"You've said you're sleeping with a jumper or shirt... but you aren’t sleeping any more... so get rid of it."   
Martin smiled and broke apart. He helped Ben with the jumper and let him fall to the other on the ground. His goose bumps spread abruptly when he felt Ben's naked skin against his own.   
"I’ll think about the naked sleeping thing again, because your bare skin on my own feels fantastic." Martin murmured, looking Ben deeply into his eyes; he was beaming, his eyes shone and he only closed his eyes, when he feels Benedict's hand on his bare back to press him closer and kiss him passionately. 

Martin replied the kiss passionately and ran his hand across Benedict's upper body, down to his hips and back up again.   
Ben's hand was buried in Martin's hair, the other caressed down over Martin's spine to the bum. Martin deepened the kiss, played with Benedict's tongue; his hands wandered to Ben's cheeks, cupping his face while kissing him passionately. Ben sighed with pleasure into the kiss, his stomach tingled and he was glad that he was lying on the sofa when he felt how soft his knees were. He stroked Martin's butt and ran his hand into his shorts.   
Martin moaned softly into the kiss, he pressed his lap more to Benedict's, and felt that he wanted so much more of Benedict. His hand caressed with slightly spreadable fingers over Ben's belly, down to his waist and slid slowly into Benedict's pants. 

Ben purred deep into his ear, pushed his hand gently in Martins shorts and pushed them further down. He heard Martins harsh sigh and felt his fingers, who slightly streaked over his cock, while he pushed his shorts down. Martins lips wandered with little kisses from Benedict's larynx on his upper body, to his nipples; he licked and bit Ben's nipples. Benedict groaned pleasurably; he pressed himself closer to Martin and ran with his hand forward in Martins lap; with the other hand, he scratched gently Martin's back up to the neck.   
Martin's fast breathing breathed across Benedict's nipples and made him shiver, also Martin's rough moan as he touched his cock.   
"Jesus." Martin muttered. 

Martin stroked Ben's cock with more intensity. He enjoyed Benedict's hand, that stroked up and down, gently and intensely, over his full length. Ben's thumb circled repeatedly over his tip, what elicited him a pleasurable moan, every time. Martin licked, sucked and bit Benedict's right nipple, gave it the same intense caresses of his tongue and his teeth and lips. He pressed his cock closer to Ben's lap and let his hips circle; he rubbed his cock gently against Ben’s.   
Benedict ran one hand into Martin's hair, clawing his fingers hard in his hair; he whispered deeply.   
"God... Martin, please... don’t. stop. this!"   
He rubbed himself against Martin's erection, and caressed Martin's balls with an enjoyable pressure.   
Martin moaned against his chest, when Ben begun to move with him.   
“Fuck. That’s great, keep going, god please, keep going." 

Martins senses were absolutely overwrought because he had waited so long for this to happen and his fantasies were nothing in contrast to the reality with Ben.   
Ben's fingers on his balls, the thumb, that stroked over his tip, the slight scratching of his fingertips across his back and especially these rubbings of his hard erection against his own, were just too much. He bit gently in Benedict's nipple and groaned deep.   
"I’m so close, I can’t hold it back even longer, Benny,... not a second longer."   
He tried to hold back but Benedict's hoarse groan broke his self-control.   
"Jesus Martin… I’m too close, can’t hold it back even longer" Ben groaned.  
Ben's fingers scratched Martin's back, down to his buttocks and pressed him even closer.   
Martin couldn't hold back, he came with Benedict, snuggled even more to him, leaned his forehead against Ben's chest; his legs trembling slightly.

Martins chest rose and fell quickly, his hand wandered slowly to Ben's waist, after they had stroked each other to the orgasm.  
"Fuck,... God,... that was pretty damn good." He kissed Ben's collarbone and looked at him afterwards; his eyes shone gently.   
If this already was so fucking good with Ben, how would the real sex feel with him. Martin shuddered pleasantly at the thought and kissed Ben's nose.   
Benedict smiled at him.   
"Good is an understatement, Martin" He said, slightly out of breath.  
He had enjoyed Martin's hand and also the kisses, Martin had split onto his neck, his ear and his torso, his nipples, and the rubbing of their cocks had felt amazing. If he was honest, he had never enjoyed a handjob so much as he had with Martin. The sex with him would be amazing and he looked forward to it, to discover gay sex with Martin. 

Ben's hand slid upwards to Martin's belly, then to his chest.   
Martin escaped a enjoyable sigh.   
"How about sharing the shower today?” Martin murmured against Ben's Adam's apple. He kissed Ben's Adam's apple.   
Ben purred deep and answered.   
"Yes, that would be great."   
Martin smiled, he gave Ben a kiss on the lips, before he broke apart to stand up.   
Ben sat up as well and ran his hand through his hair before he got up.

 

The couple went to Martin's bathroom, where Martin turned on the shower; Benedict had followed him.  
Martin put his arms around Ben's neck and looked up to him.   
"You're sexy Cumberbatch."   
Ben chuckled softly and pressed a kiss on Martin's forehead, he put his arms around Martin's hips.   
"Oh, you’re fucking sexy too, Freeman." 

He urged him gently back into the shower and stopped as Martin stood under the water. He laughed and Martin wiped the water out of his face.   
"I don’t have a good influence on you. When we met for the first time, you were such a nice young man... and now ... I have no words." Martin laughed and pulled Ben under the shower, who was still laughing and closed his eyes as the water pelted him.   
"Like you said, now it's too late anyway, so I stay..." He closed his arms around Martin and enjoyed the warm water, which rained down on his skin.   
Martin smiled, wiped his hair back and kissed Ben's wet chest.   
"Benny?"   
"Martin?"  
Both men had talked simultaneously.   
Martin looked up and smiled confused.   
"Go first, Benny."   
"Okay,... I wanted to ask you if we could spend the weekend together,... if it would be okay, I would stay until tomorrow night or Monday morning,... you said you have no appointments this week... and I have free time until Monday afternoon." Ben said. The warm water ran over his skin and he bowed his head quizzically, when he saw Martin's amused face.   
"Then I have nothing to say anymore, because... I wanted to ask you if you would like to stay until Sunday or Monday,... now, that we know, that we both agree with this, we could talk about what we do after showering. We could go to your place, to get some fresh clothes for you and then we could eat some breakfast in London and later we could drive back to my place.”   
Ben chuckled and smiled again.   
"Yes that sounds like a good plan."   
"Great, s afterwards we look for a nice, little cafe in London... and ... there we’re just friends? I would like to enjoy the new relationship with you a little bit, alone, just the two of us, before the Daily Mail and the internet is full of it, and our families and friends annoying us with a lot of questions."   
He felt Ben's lips on his forehead again, closed his eyes to enjoy it. Ben's voice muttered after his kiss against Martin's forehead.   
"Yes, I would like to enjoy this with you and discover our new relationship and all that stuff that is included."   
Martin nodded again. 

Martin took his shampoo, spread a bit into his hands. He stroked gently through Ben's wet hair, who closed his eyes. Martin smiled up, and Ben's hair was now covered with foam; he took again some shampoo and ran his hand slowly across Ben's back, his arms, slowly down to his chest and to the belly.   
Ben stood in front of him, sighed again, and in his face one could read how much he enjoyed Martins caresses.   
Martin pulled him gently back under the shower spray; he stretched slightly and breathed a kiss on Ben's lips before he washed himself.


	8. London

After showering, the two men went out of the shower; Benedict took the towel he had used last night, dried himself a bit. Afterwards he walked naked down to Martin's living room to his shorts and trouser. He picked up Martins jumper, wondering whether he took Martins jumper again until they were at his home, or his own shirt.   
Martin had left the bathroom with Ben and had gone to his bedroom to change into new clothes. He dressed with a new shorts, fresh socks, jeans and a shirt, over that he drew a thin sweater.   
Martin came back into the living room; Benedict had the blanket and pillow on his arms to bring it in Martin's bedroom.   
"Thanks, that's sweet... I'll see who has called earlier and then we can go." Martin said softly, stroking Ben across the upper arm, smiling at him lovingly.

He went into the living room, picked up his phone and saw that it was Simon (Pegg) had called; he was about to call back, to ask what he had wanted, when he saw that Simon had already written. He read Simons message and heard Ben, who walked back into the living room.   
"You can say to the guy, who had called, that he has disturbed us this morning and that this was very rude of him."   
Martin turned his head to him and grinned with the phone in his hand.   
"It was Simon... he wanted to say, that he is back in UK and wanted to know if I would come over to his place for dinner next Friday."   
Ben grinned at him and Martin grinned back before answering Simon, that he had slept earlier and that he would like to come next Friday.   
"I haven’t send your nice greetings... otherwise he is curious and jealous, why you are here and why he has disturbed us."   
Ben grinned and nodded.   
"It's alright… are you ready?"   
Martin smiled and put the phone in his pocket.   
"Yes Benny, I'm ready and I’m starving." He looked at Benedict, eyed him and the jumper he was wearing - it was still is own jumper. He hadn’t noticed that before because of the blankets and the pillow on Ben's arms. "You've put on my jumper."   
Ben looked at him and his cheeks flushed.   
“Um… yeah, come on Martin… let's go.”   
He looked with red cheeks down to Martin. 

Benedict picked up his things and went out of the living room; Martin followed him to the wardrobe.   
“It’s very sweet Benny.”   
Ben, who was putting on his shoes right now, looked up to him - still with red cheeks and red ears. He had made the decision to wear Martins jumper, because it was cozy and the main reason was, that it was Martins jumper and it feels good to wear it.   
Martin smiled down to him, took his shoes, slipped in and took his jacket.

The two men left the house.   
Martins garden was full of snow, the sun was shining a little bit but it was still cold. The road seemed to have been already cleared from the snow, and Benedict's car was covered with snow.   
Martin and Benedict walked out onto the street, and Martin helped Ben with the car. They pushed the white powder from the windows and the roof before Benedict was unlocking the door and rubbing his cold hands.   
Martin opened his door and got in the car. 

Benedict followed him, he started the engine and drove off to London. 

 

They were silent on the whole ride to London, listening to the music and hung in their own thoughts.   
Ben glances over to Martin, a smile spread across his face. If someone had told him, a few years ago, that he would have a relationship with another man, he would have laughed, probably. And he had meant, that this was not his area. Then he had met Martin and with every day they knew, Mart had twisted his head increasingly until he had totally fallen in love with Martin. He had begun to look for ways to erase the feelings; he never would have suspected that Martin could feel the same way. Even when the flirting calls and messages had begun, his head didn’t tell him that Martin was in love with him too. Now, Martin sat next to him, had told him that he was in love with him, they had kissed, caressed, cuddled with each other - and this morning they had exchanged more intimate caresses. He felt his stomach tingle, his heart racing, he was happy and looked forward to the breakfast and the rest of the weekend with Martin.   
The smaller man listened to the music, looked out of the window and beamed to himself. Until last night he had thought, he would never be able to show is unconditional love for Benedict. He had tried to keep afloat with their flirting and his fantasies about Ben; and simultaneously, he had tried to give it up. Then Benedict had asked him if he was in love and whom he would love to kiss, and he thanked god, that he was too messed up, to dish up a lie - that he had simply told the truth. He turned his head to Ben, his eyes shone at him.   
"I'm really happy, Benny."   
Ben looked briefly to him; his eyes were bright as well.   
"I'm happy too, Martin, I am also very happy with you at my side."

He parked in front of his house, they went inside and Benedict moved around, grabbed a few things for the weekend and Monday, and put it in a bag.   
Martin waited in the kitchen, answered Simon again, who had proposed a time.   
Ben returned to him with the bag, he dropped it on the floor and cupped Martin's face in his hands, who put the phone in his pocket and looked Ben in the eyes.   
Ben smiled and leaned gently down, to give him a soft, tentative kiss. Martin closed his eyes and kissed him back just as softly as Benedict and put his hands on Ben's hips.   
Ben cupped his face more gently into his hands and broke the kiss slowly; he rubbed his nose over Martin's nose and breathed him a gentle kiss on his lips.   
"I'm ready. We can look for a nice cafe and leisurely breakfast." He smiled at Martin, who looked up with gentle blue eyes and nodded.   
Martin stretched up to Ben and breathed a kiss on Ben's lips, before Ben picked his bag and the two left Benedict's house.


	9. Breakfast and snow fights

They took the car into the city, parked in a small street and strolled through the city to look for a quiet cafe.   
There was a lot going on, on the streets of London, which was not surprising. It was already after 11 am, most of them were shopping or strolling through the city, maybe even looking for a restaurant for their lunch. 

Benedict an Martin walked for a while through the streets and made it up to a nice and quiet looking café.   
Benedict pointed to the cafe. "Come on, that looks nice." He didn’t wait for Martins answer, he already held the door open for him.   
Martin smiled and nodded; he entered and looked for a table - then walked over to a table near to the window. 

Benedict followed him, took off his coat and sat down. He still wearing Martins jumper; at home, he had only changed his underwear and trousers.   
Martin raised his eyebrow and smiled.   
"Good, that I was wearing this jumper just at home... otherwise people would taking pictures of it, posting it and saying that we seem to wear the same clothes." He said in a low voice; Ben just smiled at him.   
"There are other pictures of us on the Internet... you showed me.”   
Martin grinned.   
"That are fantasized fan arts... they’re not actually real pictures of us."   
Ben grinned gently across the table and he spoke in a low voice.   
"Now there is nothing left to fantasize... now it's real... We’ll confirm her suspicions and they will tell us that they have always know it."   
Martin grinned widely at him and raised a hand to stop him.   
"Now be quiet, the waitress comes." 

The woman smiled down at the two men and Martin said gently.   
"We’ve frankly not looked for what we would like to eat... but I would take a cup of tea with milk and one sugar."   
Ben has studied the map, then looked up at the woman.   
"Um... yes, I would take a cup of coffee."   
Martin turned the card to him and scanned it, while the woman smiled and waited.   
Benedict broke the silence.   
"I just take the full English breakfast."Ben said.   
Ben's stomach growled loudly; and both, the woman and Martin began to laugh.   
"I'll take porridge with apple... and maybe you could bring him a muffin or something for starters... before he starved to death."   
Ben put his hand on his stomach and looked up with a shy smile and flushed cheeks.   
"You better go away, before it becomes even more embarassing for me.“   
The woman laughed.   
"I'm back in a minute and bring the coffee and the tea and... a muffin." 

Martin looked after the woman, when she left the table, then grinned at Benedict.   
"So, I thought we could’ve a nice breakfast undetected, but you just entertain the whole store."   
Actually a few people looked over to them and it was absolutely clear that they had recognized who they are.   
A short time later they really sat at their table, surrounded by a lot of people, signing autographs or taking a picture. In between the waitress had brought them their orders and the two were left alone at their table again. 

 

"I’m sorry Martin, but the last time I had eaten at the Christmas market... these chocolate skewer, that we’ve shared. So it’s quite normal that I’m hungry now. Normally you’re the one who constantly eats."   
Martin chuckled over while he was eating.   
"No, no that’s not true... you’d eaten chocolate last night while we’d play Truth or Dare."   
Benedict smiled and rolled his eyes; he drank his coffee and ate together with Martin

While they had sat in the cafe, they had been talking about the next few weeks until Christmas, what they have for appointments, what everyone have previously planned for Christmas and New Year's Eve.   
Martin gave the service a sign, that he would like to pay for Benedict and himself.   
They made one more photo with the waitress and then left the cafe. 

"Let's go Benny, I’m not in the mood for big hurly-burly."   
Ben smiled and nodded.   
"Yes, me too. I rather would like to have a quiet weekend, just with you."   
Together they made their way back to Benedict's car, got in and drove back to Martin. 

 

The two got out; Martin walked in front of Benedict through his garden, which was still full of snow.   
Basically, he really liked snow, despite the fact, that the snowfall yesterday interrupted their date, but normally he really really loved snow. A broad grin spread over his face, oh yeah he loved it. He stopped and gathered a little bit of the white powder, molded it into a ball; he turned around and wanted to fire the snowball at Ben, when he became a lot of snow on his own cheek.   
Ben laughed, he saw Martins snowball in his hand and bent down again to pick up more snow.   
"You were too slow, little Hobbit."   
Martin wiped with his hand the snow from his face and threw his ball to Benedict, it hit him on his chest.  
"Cumberbatch! You'll regret this, I swear." Martin laughed, and sought cover, where he was collecting more snow. 

Ben laughed and fired the next snowballs.   
"As if you have a chance."   
Large white chunks hit Martin on the legs and upper body.   
Benedict's gloves were in his bag, that stood somewhere behind him in the snow. He had no longer a feeling in his fingers, but he didn’t care, it was more important to hit Martin with every single snowball.   
Martin was laughing and threw snowball after snowball at Ben.   
"Just wait, you'll beg for mercy!"   
He heard Benedict's deep laugh.   
A bit of snow had slipped into Martins collar; shaking from the cold, he threw the next ball over to Benedict, which brushed his hair.   
Martin tore his fist into the air.   
"Yes!" 

Ben grinned and ran his fingers through his hair; he bent down and slightly turned away from Martin to collect more snow.   
Martin took his chance, ran out of his cover, through the snow over to Ben; he jumped on his back and pulled him into the snow.   
Ben gasped as he felt Martin on his back and then lay in the snow.   
Martin laughed and swept masses of snow as fast as he could to Benedict's collar, face and hair.   
Benedict laughed and struggled.   
"Stop it, you little angry Hobbit, I've already 20 pounds of snow in the jumper. God, damn it's bloody cold." He grabbed Martins hand, who continued laughing.   
Ben grabbed him and pushed him with his hands in the snow, he sat down on his lap and raised an eyebrow.   
"So love, your last words?"   
Martin grinned up, his trouser was wet, immediately. His hair was wet, it was cold and he knew it doesn't matter what he said, Benedict would now take revenge on him.   
"Um... I want to say, for my defense, that you've started, I just defended myself." 

He had barely finished speaking when he had Benedict's hand with quite a lot of snow in his face. Ben lathered him properly while he was laughing.   
Even Martin had started to laugh and tried to fight back.   
No matter how cold it was at the moment, it made a lot of fun and he knew he would be able to warm up later.   
Benedict rubbed a lot of snow on Martin's neck, his face and in his hair - then he let go Martin's hands, rubbing his icy hands and breathed his warm breath against it. He had wet hair, his cheeks and his nose were red like those of Martins and their ears glowed red.   
They were both out of breath and Martin closed his eyes briefly, then looked up to Ben. 

Martin knew, that they had a good view protection, no one would see them now. He raised his arms, grabbed Benedict gently by the collar of his coat and pulled him down to hiis lips. He locked his cold lips with Ben's to a tender kiss, his nose rubbed over Benedict's nose afterwards. He looked up into his eyes and murmured against his lips.   
"Love you, Benny." His eyes shone warmly and were still fixed with Ben's; his heart racing.   
Ben smiled and bowed his head.   
Martin still held the collar with both hands.   
Ben rubbed their noses together.  
"Love you too, Martin." His voice was warm.  
Martin felt a pleasant, warm feeling. It was nice to say it and to hear it from Ben; he cupped Ben's lips again. He kissed him gently, and muttered afterwards.  
"I'm freezing Benny, I want to have a bath with you." He kissed again Ben's lips, who gently bit him in the lower lip and muttered.   
"Fantastic." He gave Martin a last, gentle kiss, before he broke apart and stood up. 

He reached his hand down to Martin, who gratefully accepted and allowed Ben to help him up.   
Ben smiled. "My bag is there... I'll come back in a minute."   
"It’s ok." 

Martin went to the door, unlocked it and went inside.   
A few seconds later Ben came back with his bag and closed the door.   
"I'll go to the bathroom."   
Ben smiled and nodded, he put down his bag, pulled off his shoes and jacket and carried his bag into Martin's bedroom, while his partner turned on the water in the bathroom; afterwards he came to Ben.   
"Can I make you a cup of tea or something else, Benny?"   
"Not now, thank you, love." He shook his head. 

Ben's pants were quite wet at several points; his ears glowed red, just like his cheeks, his nose and his hands. Even Martin had the same glowing red spots.   
"It was really funny, but my fingers were already almost dead as I threw the first snowball." Ben laughed, and put his arms around Martin.   
Ben pressed a kiss on Martin's wet hair; he tugged Martins shirt out of his pants, to push his icy hands under the shirt and the thin sweater. He sighed and enjoyed the warmth of Martin's back.   
Martin had closed his eyes, when he had felt Benedict's kiss; but he shrugged together, when he felt Benedict's icy fingers on his skin.   
"Damn it! Are you crazy... to put your icy dead fingers on my bare skin.” He reached back to Benedict's hands and pulled them out again.   
He took them in his hands and lifted them to his lips, to kiss them warm.   
Ben chuckled softly.   
"Hm, but that was so nice and warm!"   
"Yes, a few seconds ago - now I’m freezing too, you horrible man." He smiled at him with warm eyes and a lovingly gaze - kissed his icy hands. "Come on love, let’s go to the bathroom before we forget the water." He lowered Ben's hands, who looked at him with a gently smile.  
Martin took him to the bathroom.


	10. The bathtub

The hot water was still running into the bathtub and the steam had already distributed the room. 

Benedict pulled gently at Martin's hand to made him stand still.   
Martin understood Ben's sign, stopped and turned to Ben, who beamed at him.   
Ben rubbed his hands together to warm them up and cupped Martin's face gently; he felt his cold cheeks, bent slightly down and kissed his lips.   
Martin closed his eyes, he laid his hands on Benedict's chest and kissed him affectionately. His hands stroked gently down to Benedict's torso, down to the beginning of the jumper and pushed it up.   
Ben broke the kiss, he raised his arms, so that Martin could pull the jumper over his head.   
The jumper fell to the ground next to him.   
Martin kissed Ben's collarbone and let his hands slide down across Benedict's chest and the belly, to the waistband; he opened the button of Ben's trouser. 

Even Benedict was busy; he opened Martin's belt and the button of his pants, to push them down slowly.   
The pants slid down on Martin's legs, who stood on his tiptoes and gave Ben a little kiss on the lips before he broke apart.   
"Wait, I'll turn off the water."   
He stepped to the bathtub, bent down and turned off the water. 

When Martin straightened up, he was hugged by Benedict again.   
Ben's hands ran under Martin's jumper, pushed it up over Martin's head, after Martin has raised his arms. He let the jumper fall, put his hands again on Martin's belly and began to unbutton his shirt. His lips distributed small kisses on Martin's neck.   
His boyfriend closed his eyes, enjoyed Ben’s lips on his neck, who had completely unbuttoned his shirt and stroked it off his shoulders. It fell on the floor between him and Benedict. He purred, when Ben's hands caressed his upper body slowly downwards and brushed gently his shorts from his bum.   
Ben kissed along Martin's shoulder. He took his hands off Martin and freed himself out of his trouser and shorts.   
Martin sighed, turned his head back to Ben and smiled at him. 

Ben smiled back, stepped out of his trouser and shorts, and walked to the tub and into it.   
"God... I’m freezing more than yesterday after the Christmas market."   
Martin smiled at him, wanted to wait until Benedict sat down properly.   
"Yes, me too,... but I would do it again." He chuckled. "Now the snow seemed quite right."   
Ben sat down slowly, leaned against the back of the tub and smirked up to Martin.   
"I wouldn’t be able to resist the next time."

Martin grinned and stepped also in the bathtub, sighed as he felt the hot water; he sat down between Ben's legs, leaned his back on its chest and laid his head on Ben’s shoulder. He closed his eyes and put his hands on Ben's legs.   
Benedict had wrapped his arms around Martin, kissed his temple and then nuzzled his cheek against Martin's side of the head.   
"It feels really nice to be... with you." Martin muttered and ran a hand over Benedict's leg.   
"Hmm,... now it feels so easy, it’s easy now, isn’t it? We both hadn't knew how to deal with it, with the feelings we’ve for each other and then I just need to ask you, whether you're in love or not and whom you want to kiss,... and suddenly everything is quite simple and easy. I’ve think about so often, how to tell you, that I’m in love with you, I've fantasize scenarios... and it was so easy, ultimately." Ben muttered into Martin's hair, and pressed a gentle kiss on the hair.   
His hand stroked Martin's belly, while Martin's hand painted small circles on Ben's thigh.   
"Yeah, I played conversations with you in my head, over and over again, but the more options and scenarios I fantasized in my head... the more the fear get bigger. The thought of losing what we have, scared me as hell. I just tried to be happy with the great friendship that we have."   
"I should've filled you up with mulled wine earlier. Perhaps, you was so drunk, that you couldn’t dishing up a lie." Ben chuckled into Martins hair.

Martin began to smirk.   
"Oh nonsense,... I wasn’t drunk. I was completely sober... but I couldn’t tell you a lie to your first question. I couldn’t respond, because your question had put me into panic. I turned away from you, I didn’t answered your question several minutes, so it was clear that I had a secret. Couldn’t you deduce this, you genius head?”   
Benedict laughed at Martins ear.   
"I'm not Sherlock. I learn the script by heart, but your behavior was really obviously. But if I’m honest, if you had said a different name on my kiss question, I would have believed you, if you had pronounced the other name as honest as my name." He pinched him gently in the stomach. "You're an actor, it’s your job to pretend something else." 

Martin punched Benedict's hand, which has not effect, because it was under the water; he laughed softly.   
"There was no other name in my head, there was only your name... and that I couldn’t pretend something else was probably an outtake... a pretty good one, I must say." He locked his hand with Benedict's on his stomach. "It was good that I've told said your name; it was about time to say that and maybe I needed such a direct question to come out of the cover." He pressed Benedict's hand. He lifted it gently and pressed a kiss on the back of his hand and his fingers. "I love you Benedict." He breathed a kiss on the fingers again.   
Ben smiled and kissed Martins ear.   
"I love you too, old bean." His nose rubbed over Martin's hair. "Can you say yours again, but with Benny, because that’s your pet name for me, isn’t it?" He murmured in Martin's hair.   
Martin snuggled his head towards the caresses and his belly tingled when he heard the I love you from Benedict.   
"I will tell you more than twice, that I love you Benny." He squeezed Ben's hand, let his eyes closed, enjoyed the closeness to Ben, his words, the heat of the water. 

The day has been great until now; waking up and showering with Ben; the breakfast, even if it was not as quiet as he had hoped; the snowball fight in the garden and now sitting in the bathtub with him. And not to forget, the amazing handjob on the sofa this morning. His happiness about spending the weekend with Ben was huge, no matter what they would do. And if they just would laze on the couch; it didn’t matter what they would do; Ben was here, that was enough for him - it was enough to made the weekend perfect. 

Benedict's thumb stroked gently over Martin's hand, he had closed his eyes, distributed small kisses on Martin's head. The relaxing was great; to hold Martin in his arms, knowing that at the moment no words were needed.   
The date for the start of their relationship was perfect; he hadn’t much work to do and the appointments were in or around London. He knew that Martin had only a few dates, and that they all took place only in London or around London. It was a really lucky coincidence and he was glad that they were able to spend the beginning of their relationship more intensive.   
He pressed Martin in a gentle hug, pressed him a kiss on the back of the head - Martin sighed.   
He stretched his head back to look up to Benedict and gave him a kiss on his chin. 

"The water is getting cold and I get tired, can we get out?" Martin asked, and gave Ben a second kiss on his chin.   
"Yes, we can." Benedict nodded. He removed his hand from Martin's, stroked him gently over his belly, before Martin stood up slowly.   
Martin got out of the tub and felt Ben's fingers, which gave his bum a pinch. Martin turned his head around, grinned and saw Ben's mischievous grin.   
"You can’t get enough, am I right?... You constantly squeeze my arse ... and I remembering, that you also did it on the Hobbit premiere, when I just gave an interview!"   
Benedict grinned and nodded.   
"Yes,... but that was something else, because you had wore pants."   
Martin laughed and took two fresh towels, tied one around his waist and handed Ben the other one.  
"I basically wear clothes when I'm outside." Martin grinned ,and let the water out of the tub.   
Ben dried himself off and said.   
"I think some people wouldn’t mind if you would come naked to a premiere."   
Martin also began to dry himself and said as he hung up his towel.   
"I think you're the one of us, the fans would prefer to see naked... and on-screen, I was often naked or almost naked."   
Benedict hung up his towel, smirking at Martin and nodded.   
"I remember the movies very well."   
Martin grinned, he dressed again, as well as Benedict.

Martin had gone into the living room and had turned on the television.   
When Ben came into the living room, Martin went into the kitchen to make tea, he called from there.   
"Benny? Do you like a cup of tea or do you want something else?"   
"Water is enough, thank you. Should I make a fire?"   
"Okay,... yes, that would be lovely, thank you Benny."   
"No problem."   
He started to make fire. 

Martin took a glass and a bottle of water out of the closet. He brought it to the living room, where Ben was now sitting on the sofa.   
"Thank you Martin."   
He smiled up and got a wink of Martin, before he went back to the kitchen and made his tea. 

Ben zapped through the channels and then got stuck in a series.   
Martin came back from the kitchen, put down his tea and sat down. He leaned back comfortably, stretched out his legs and put them onto the coffee table in front of him.   
Ben smiled at him and made himself comfortable on the sofa; he lay down on the side, rested his head in Martin's lap, his gaze was directed to the TV.   
Martin smiled down, put a hand on Ben's side, pushed up the jumper a little bit and let his fingertips ran smoothly over Benedict's bare skin.   
The man on his lap sighed and enjoyed Martins caresses.   
The fingertips caressed tenderly over Ben's side, sometimes on his belly, on his back, down to his waist and his arm slightly up.   
Ben escaped a pleasurable tone, while they were both focused on the program.   
Martin put his other hand in Ben's still slightly damp hair, scratched every now and then gently with fingernails over Benedict's scalp. He enjoyed Benedict's purrs and the goose bumps that had spread over his back by fondling. 

Ben and Martin were completely engrossed in the television program; Benedict also in Martins caresses, he snuggled his head more on Martin's lap.   
The fire flickered and the television was silent for a few seconds, and just at that moment the bell rang at Martin's front door.   
Ben beneath him flinched; Martin shrugged together. He took the hand out of Ben's hair and put it on his heart, he breathed.   
"Jesus,... I was more scared by your wincing."   
Ben turned onto his back and looked up to Martin.   
"Sorry... I was so engrossed in your caress and the television."   
It rang again and Martin ran his hand through his own hair.   
"You should sit up so I can see who it is." Martin smiled and winked. Benedict sat up slowly; he smiled and leaned back again on the sofa. Martin got to his feet and smiled. "I’m back in a minute, love." 

He went from the living room to the front door and opened it.


	11. The visitor

Martin looked at the man who stood in front of him, a big smile on his face, wrapped in a coat and a scarf. 

"Simon!?"   
Simon smiled broadly.   
"Hey Martin. You hadn’t answered my last message... but I took it as a yes. So I’m here."   
Martin looked at him irritated.   
"What message?"   
"I had written that I'm on the road and would come to you for a short hello."   
Martin looked at him and bowed his head.   
"Sorry Simon, I hadn’t looked on my phone since a while."   
Simon smiled at him.   
"Yes, no problem, Benedict is also here? His car is parked outside your house." 

Martin's heart began to race, the thoughts raced through his head, he couldn’t claim that he had just arrived, after they were photographed several times at breakfast in London, Simon would discover the pictures on the internet, possibly they were even photographed yesterday on the Christmas market. He smiled at Simon and hugged him amicably, patted him gently on the shoulder.   
"Nice that you're back, come in." Simon smiled, he returned Martins hug and then entered, when Martin stepped aside.   
"And yes Ben is here... we were on the Christmas market yesterday, but it was to snowy and cold so we’d broke up the evening and met us today for breakfast in London and a little chat at my place."   
Ultimately, it was not really a lie, Martin thought. He simply had left out a few details.   
Simon had taken off his coat and scarf in the meanwhile.   
"Yes, shit weather yesterday, the fly was unpleasant, especially the landing in London." 

Martin smiled at him.   
"Tea, coffee, water?"   
"I'll take tea, black tea, thanks." He followed Martin into the kitchen. 

Ben had heard two men talking with each other, he could not make out who the visitor was, only that he was now apparently in the house.   
Martin said loudly, but with a soft and warm voice.   
"Benny? Scotty's here. Do you have your neutron cream?"   
Ben heard him and grinned.   
Martin turned his head to the kettle, he squinted and bit his lip. Benny. This was absolutely not the right time to call him in such a loving way, Benny.   
Simon grinned broadly.   
"Benny?... Attention Martin, not that he get angry with you."   
Benedict stood up and walked into the kitchen, he smiled at Simon.   
"Today I’m merciful and will spare him and just pretend I didn’t hear it. Hey."   
The two men embraced each other, grinning.   
"Hey Benedict. Are you going to cheat me with Marty again?"   
Ben grinned and it widened by the thought that Simon was pretty right this time. They had often joked about it, but this time it was absolutely true.   
"Yes, your own fault, you hadn’t invited me to the Christmas market yesterday, because you weren’t at home again, so I grabbed our little Martin."   
Martin shook his head, grinning and poured the water into Simon's cup, who laughed.   
"Shit, I have missed my chance to be with you, Marty."   
"You had never had a chance Pegg, here take your tea and come into the living room." Martin grinned at him and gave him his teacup, he went to the living room, Ben and Simon followed him. 

Martin sat down in the armchair, that stood next to the sofa. That was safer. Who knows, what he would do thoughtlessly on the sofa with Ben.   
Ben smiled at him, stroked gently unobtrusively over his shoulder, while Simon put his cup on the table and sat down. Martin smiled up to Ben, who took place on the sofa.   
"On which Christmas market had you been?"   
"Hyde Park, but there wasn’t much going on, probably because of the storm and the snow." Martin replied, he took his tea, untouched because he and Ben were distracted by cuddling.   
Now the tea was cold, even Benedict's glass of water was still untouched; Ben reached after the glass and took a sip. He had been thirsty earlier, but when he lay with his head on Martins lap and Martin had stroked him, the water had fallen completely into oblivion.   
Simon smiled and sipped his tea.   
"Oh, yes, it’s really nice there.” Simon said. Martin drank his cold tea and grimaced. "What happened in your garden? Zombie attack?" Simon grinned to Martin.   
Before Martin could say anything, Benedict spoke up.   
"Snowball fight."   
Simon grinned and nodded.   
"And Martin started for sure."   
"You're an idiot, Benedict was cowardly and attacked me behind my back."   
Benedict laughed with Simon.   
"Come on Martin, you had had a snowball in your hand, you were prepared for attacking me, it was a matter of seconds."   
Martin grinned, pointing with the finger at him.   
"But you were still the one who ultimately started and you, my dear friend, were also the one who has pushed me in the snow and has lathered me."   
"That’s not what is in my mind... you've jumped on me and pushed me in the snow and then you’d lathered me with snow, before I... did that what you have just mentioned." 

Simon had tea in his mouth and tried not to laugh, otherwise he would have spat the tea out or swallowed it in a bad way. He waved his hand with a big grin and tried to calm down.   
The pair grinned at Simon, who looked down at his cup and shook his head, he calmed down slowly and gulped down the tea.   
"That’s not nice, I was drinking, you can’t tell me something like that, while I’m drinking! It seemed that I have missed something."   
Martin smirked.   
"You don’t have to be everywhere my friend."   
Simon raised his eyebrow and inclined his head slightly, his eyes rested on Martin.   
"Oh? Are there any news?"   
Martin looked at him and Ben turned his head to Simon.   
"Yes,... he likes me more than you, that's what happend when you are always on the road." He just grinned widely at him, hoping to save somehow the situation.   
Simon was curious and they all knew each other since a long time, especially Simon and Martin knew each other for a very long time; the two were very close friends for ages and Simon knew Martin well enough to make out very quickly if Martin had to conceal something.   
Simon looked at Benedict and grinned at him. He joked.   
"No, his heart belongs to me."   
Ben just grinned and Simon changed the subject. 

“When you were having breakfast? I've had nothing for lunch... we have already 2 pm, how about pizza, I invite you two... so that I can make myself popular again after I was gone so long." He grinned, and Martin looked at him with a smile.   
He was glad that Simon apparently thought that they simply wanted to tease him. However, he had noticed that Simon was a little bit irritated. He knew, Simon would watch them more closely now. Simon had lured him out of reserve with his chatter. He had never been good at hiding something from Simon.   
"11 o'clock, Ben?" He stopped before his gentle Benny came over his lips again.   
"Yes,... around 11 am, but I wouldn't mind pizza."   
Martin nodded.   
"I am also for pizza, what do you want?"   
Ben smiled up at Martin, who already stood up to fetch his phone.   
"I'll take a simple salami pizza."   
"Me, as always, cheese, olives, anchovies and tomatoes." Simon said.  
Martin smiled and nodded, he went into the kitchen, searched the number of the Pizzeria. 

Simon smiled at Ben.   
"Great coincidence that you're here too, it was about time that we see us again."   
Ben smiled at him and nodded.   
"You're right, we haven't seen us quite a while. Now you're back in the city... "   
"We need to do something together. Do you already have plans for New Years Eve? Otherwise, you could come over, Martin is there too."   
Ben smiled and bowed his head.   
"No, I haven’t plan anything right now, but New Years Eve with you und your family sounds good. Martin was always very excited, so I take the invitation."   
"Wonderful, Nick and his wife are also there and Amanda... and then Martin and you." He smiled at Ben, who smiled back.

Ben looked up at Martin, who came back into the living room and put the phone back.   
"It takes only half an hour, then we can eat."   
He had ordered the two pizzas for Ben and Simon and himself also a vegetarian pizza.   
Simon smiled and stood up.   
"Well, until then, I will be still alive... I'll use your bathroom." He walked around the sofa, through the living room, the stairs up and into the bathroom. 

Martin looked after him and breathed when he heard the bathroom door.   
Ben stood up and came to Martin.   
"The pizza is a wonderful idea, so I have at least to shut up and can’t continue to betray us." Martin said.   
Ben smiled down at Martin and gave him a lovingly quick kiss on the forehead.   
"I think he thought we just talk nonsense."   
Martin listened briefly and placed his hands on Ben's sweater collar and pulled him down when he heard nothing.   
"He looked so irritated, he has become keen-eared. Sorry Benny." He muttered against his lips, listened again and then gave him a firm, loving but quick kiss on his lips.   
Martin pushed him away a little bit, listened again, heard the flushing out of the bathroom and pulled Ben again closer to lock his lips again gently with Benedict's, and then took his hands off of Bens collar. He stroked him smoothly across the chest.   
Ben smiled and said softly,   
"It's all good Martin, you don’t need to apologize. "The bathroom door opened again, Ben pressed a last quick kiss on Martin's temple, and then turned to Martin's record collection. "We could put on music and turn of the telly." He said, when Simon came into the living room. 

Martin glanced at Simon and smiled at him before he turned to Ben.   
"Just pick something, the choice is big enough, so you will surely find something." He took his cup and walked to the kitchen, Simon followed him and searched the cutlery.   
Martin took another two glasses out for himself and Simon. He was relieved that they had put away all clothes in the bedroom.  
"After the Pizza I have to go home, we’ve a dinner with the family tonight, but we'll see us on Friday again. Oh and I've invited Benedict for New Year's Eve."   
Martin turned his head to him and looked at the cutlery in Simon's hands.   
"Thank you. Yes, that's okay and I'll see you Friday night." He bowed his head and smiled, he knew from the conversation with Ben this morning that he had nothing planned, but he hadn't wanted to invite someone to Simons party without his approval. He was pleased that Simon had did it, so he was able to spend New Year with Ben. That was fantastic, he smiled at Simon. "That's great.”   
Simon smiled and nodded.   
"Absolutely, it’s great." 

Simon went back into the living room, Ben had placed a record.   
Simon put the cutlery on the dining table in the living room.   
Martin came with the glasses and put them also onto the dining table, also Simon's tea and Benedict's glass and the water bottle from the coffee table.  
The three men sat comfortably at the table and talked about Simons last project and that Simon would fly in the middle of December to LA for the Star Wars premiere. Even Martin and Benedict looked forward to the premiere in London, to which they were invited.   
Ben sat next to Martin and was busy in their conversation with Simon when the bell rang at the door.   
Martin smiled to Simon.   
"Your keyword Simon, you're the man with the money today."   
Simon grinned and stood up.   
"This is your house, actually you're the host here, you could also go with my money."   
Martin grinned and shook his head.   
"You sit closer to the door and I was knocked out in the snowball fight earlier. I have to recover."   
Simon laughed and showed him a bird, he made his way to the door and Martin looked after him with a grin. 

Martin waited until Simon was out of sight and leaned over to Ben, cupped his face in both hands.   
"He has a family dinner tonight, he’s eating with us and then he’ll drive home and we can spend the evening together." He cupped Ben's lips gently and slowly.   
Ben smiled in the kiss.   
He really liked Simon, and he was also happy to see him again, but that they would spend the evening alone, was better. Certainly, it would be easier to tell Simon what was going on and then they could end this hiding game, but he agreed absolutely with Martin. He wanted to enjoy it at first, see how it works before they would be peppered with questions of their friends, family, the press, fans.   
He returned Martins kiss, deepened it and put a hand to his cheek.   
Martin had his ears pricked, he listened to the front door, to the signal that they should stop. He heard nothing, deepened the kiss instead. His tongue licked gently across Ben's lip, who slowly opened his lips and kissed Martin gently with his tongue.


	12. Saturday

"PIIIIZZAAAAA guys." Simon screamed on the way back to Martin and Benedict. 

Martin enjoyed the gentle kiss with Ben, which felt as if it would be their first shared kiss. His stomach tingled, his heart raced. Hadn't he already lost his heart to Ben, after this kiss, he would had fallen in love with Ben head over heels. Simons joyous scream from the corridor made his heart race even more, he opened his eyes, removed his hands from Benedict's cheeks.   
Ben looked at him with shocked eyes.   
Martin turned around in his chair, he cleared his throat.   
Ben breathed, grabbed the water bottle and filled Simons and Martins glass with water, so that he would have something to do. 

Simon came in, and Martin grabbed the newly filled glass and took a sip, he tried to calm down.   
Simon put the pizza down onto the table and grinned.   
"You two look like you have something... concocted... or done in secret." He opened each box and pushed it toward the owner.   
Martin ran his fingers through his hair and grinned.   
"What do you think of us? We were waiting for you... and we’ve mixed something in your water." He grabbed his box and pulled it closer.   
Ben laughed at Martins lie and Simon sat down, smirked, and took his glass of water and smelled, just in case.   
"I don't smell anything. We exchange anyway..." He grabbed Martins glass.   
Martin grabbed after his water glass, he hit Simon's hand and some water spilled over his own hand. Martin grimaced.   
"That’s mine, I’ve already taken a sip!” He wiped his hand off on his sweater.   
"Don't matter... we know us." Simon grinned and Ben shook his head, grinning.   
Ben opened his box again and took his knife and fork.   
Martin grinned at Simon.   
"Don’t worry, we did nothing."   
Simon grinned and sipped at his newly collared glass.   
"I don’t trust you, but whatever it was... let's eat now, I’m hungry and I don’t want that Maureen must do all the preparations for the dinner tonight of her own."   
The other two nodded and they began to eat.

 

The music played in the background, they had eaten their pizzas, their conversations had drifted to the next dates that they have - again to the Christmas market and the breakfast this morning and Simons family dinner tonight.   
They were all leaning against the back of their chair, the cutlery was lying in the boxes.   
Simon glanced at his watch and smiled.   
"I'll say goodbye."   
Martin nodded.   
"It’s okay, I'll bring you to the door."   
He stood up with him.   
Benedict smiled up and raised his hand.   
"See you on the premiere, a lot of fun tonight and also in LA."   
"Exactly… and thank you, mate." He also raised his hand and smiled at Ben before he went to the front door with Martin. 

Simon took his scarf from the wardrobe and wrapped it around is neck; he grabbed his coat and slipped inside.   
"So, have a nice evening... I'll see you Friday night, 7 o'clock." He hugged Martin, who returned the embrace and nodded.   
"Exactly, greetings to Maureen and your little girl."   
Simon squeezed his shoulder and nodded.   
"Yeah." He smiled and walked away.   
Martin waited a moment before he closed the door. 

Martin came back into the living room and Benedict smiled at him.   
"Jesus, that was a fucking close thing." Ben grabbed the boxes.   
Martin came to him and took Simon's cup and glass, and chuckled too.   
"Yeah, the thing with the kiss was incredibly close, I didn't hear the door, good that he has already announced the arriving of the Pizza in the hallway."   
He went with Ben to the kitchen, who took the cutlery from the cartons.   
"That was our luck, I hadn’t heard the door until his roar,... I have to say, that he was completely forgotten while we had kissed."   
Martin smiled and nodded   
"Yeah, I agree, while we had kissed, Simon and the Pizza were forgotten. I don’t think that he thought something in this direction, but I think he realized… no I'm sure, that he knows that we had something hidden from him."   
Benedict made the boxes small and tossed it in the trash.   
"Yes, but until Friday he has forgotten it. I hope so."   
Martin closed the dishwasher and came to Ben, leaning against the kitchen unit.   
"Let’s hope so, Benny." He pressed a gentle kiss on Ben's chest, put his hands on his hips.   
Ben put his arms around him and pulled him closer.   
"Now that he’s gone, we can carry on where he had disturbed us - on the sofa, cuddling, watching telly."   
"Excellent idea, let's go.” Martin leaned slightly up, gave Ben a kiss, took his hand and pulled him into the living room to the sofa. 

Martin dropped onto the sofa, leaned back comfortably and pulled one leg under the other.   
Ben turned off the music and came to the couch, he fell down next to Martin and nestled his head back into his lap. Martin smiled down and leaned a little bit forward again, to take the remote and turn on the television.   
"It’s your decision Benny." He handed him the remote and put his left hand again in Benedict's hair, who began to zap through the program.   
Martin's finger ran gently through Ben's hair, played from time to time with the strands, while Ben continued zapping. He got stuck on a movie and put the remote onto the table. Martin put his right forearm on Benedict's side, leaned in the direction and put his head on his arm.   
Benedict enjoyed Martins cuddling and the gentle play of his fingers in his hair; he closed his eyes, the film was forgotten, Martin was much more exciting.   
Martin also closed his eyes, his fingers caressed gently Benedict's ear, who sighed softly.

 

The only light in the room came from the television, the fire was almost out; nevertheless it was still pleasantly warm.   
Ben had snuggled even more in Martin's lap. His senses were all at Martin, who was still playing with his hair, his fingers caressed his ear or his neck and then went back into his hair. He relaxed completely under Martins caresses and sighed from time to time or purred pleasantly.   
Martin said nothing, let his eyes closed, listening only to Benedict's sighs and purring. He had no idea what was running on the telly, the sounds of Benedict during his caresses were much better. He let the time pass away. He felt the slight rise and fall of Benedict's chest, leaned his own upper body again more against the sofa and let his hand wander under Ben's sweater at the hip. He caressed gently Ben'S flat stomach, draw with his fingertip little circles. The hand in Ben’s hair rested.   
Ben purred loudly, when he felt Martin's finger on his stomach, the slight touch of Martin's fingertip gave him a shiver down the spine. 

He just opened his eyes, looked at the TV and pushed his eyebrows together.   
It had to be another film, this was clearly an animated movie and he had stopped at Home Alone. He was sure that Home Alone had just begun.   
Had they really cuddled during the whole movie? That means, Martin had caressed him for such a really long time.   
Martin rubbed him gently over the stomach.   
Ben sighed again, he loves it and he could stay here the whole weekend, just enjoying Martins caresses. His eyes searched the film and when he saw a slightly thicker, animated elf, his eyes beamed.   
Saving Santa!   
And then there it was, Martin's lovely, warm voice, that came out of the thick Elf. 

Martin himself was completely absorbed in his caresses; his fingertips still draw circles on Benedict's flat stomach, stroked across it and rubbed back and forth. His eyes were still closed; he enjoyed the feeling of Benedict's head in his lap and his bare warm skin under his hand and his fingers.   
All of a sudden, he felt Benedict's hand on his own and heard his deep voice.   
"Martin,... you little fat Elf,... you're on air."   
His thoughts formed a big question mark, his eyebrows pushed up questioningly, he opened his eyes, looked down at Benedict.   
"Hhmh? What? Fat Elf?"   
Ben smiled up to him and nodded to the TV.   
"Saving Santa."   
Martin looked at the television, heard his own voice; he took the hand off Benedict's hair and rubbed his eyes.   
"Didn’t you had choose another movie?"   
"Hmm, Home Alone... but we seem to have forgotten the time, because I haven't zapped."   
Martin bowed his head.   
"Then we have really forgotten the time, the film is almost finished."   
Benedict hooked his fingers with Martin's on his belly, and squeezed his hand gently.   
"Then be quiet now, the film is great and you sing in it."   
Martin smiled slightly, he also squeezed Benedict's hand, and ran with the other hand through Ben's hair.   
Benedict looked at the TV and Martin leaned more against him.

Martin had been silent the rest of the movie, had watched it together with Ben and bent down to him, to give him a kiss on the temple, when he saw the credits. He stretched himself, as best as he could with Ben's head on his lap. He raised his hand and looked at his watch.   
"It's 8 o'clock Benny, we could make us pasta or something else."   
Benedict began to move, he turns on his back, angled his legs and looked up to Martin.   
"Sounds good, pasta is also great." He raised his hand, stroked gently Martin's cheek, who smiled down to him and rubbed over his stomach.   
Benedict smiled, dropped his hand and got to his feet. He stretched and yawned briefly as he stood, while Martin also got up and stretched again.   
He stroked Benedict briefly across the lower back and went into the kitchen. 

Benedict made a short detour to the bathroom, before he went to Martin, who had already boiled water for the pasta.   
Martin turned his head to Ben and smiled softly.   
"Quite simply with tomato sauce and cheese?" He asked softly and Ben nodded with a smile.   
"Yes, perfectly adequate. I can make the sauce." He leaned in and kissed Martin gently on the cheek.   
"Hmm, perfect. I'll give you a pot and the rest... "   
Martin turned his head to Ben, stretched slightly and kissed gently Ben's lips - twice - before he broke apart and gave Benedict the stuff for the tomato sauce.

 

From the living room came sounds of a new movie and the kitchen was filled with Martins hearty laugh.   
The noodles cooked slowly in front of him, as well as the tomato sauce. Plates and cutlery lay already on the kitchen unit, and Martin stopped laughing, the cork of the red wine in his hand.   
Benedict drew his lips into a thin line.   
"This isn't possible, it can't be!"   
Martin pressed his other hand on his belly, he was laughing.   
The wine bottle stood on the counter next to the corkscrew.   
"Probably you have pressed the cork into the bottle instead of pulling it out."  
"Do you think I’ve nothing better to do, than press the cork into the bottle. Of course I have pulled it out. The cork had just stuck very firm!"   
Martin looked at him with a big laugh.   
"Honey, I pulled it once and it was out."   
The laughter of Martin made him laugh too. He snatched the cork from Martin's hand.   
"Now stop to wipe it... probably it was so easy for you because I had nearly pulled it out." He laughed.  
Martin looked at him and shook his head in amusement.   
"No, I lured him perfectly out of the cover. Do you always open wine bottles like this? At first on the bar, then clamped under your arm and then between your legs? If it’s so, let us just agree that I open the wine bottles in the future, love. Before we’ve a wine accident one day." He patted Benedict's cheek, and then breathed a kiss on it.   
"Sometimes, I hate you, you little nasty man." Ben laughed, and put the cork on the kitchen unit. 

Martin grinned broadly, shoved his hands in the trouser pockets on Ben's butt and kissed his cheek down to his neck; his stubble scratched softly over Ben's skin. He bit Ben gently in the neck, kissed the place and made his way up. He kissed up to Ben's ear; he was already on his tiptoe and whispered into Benedict's ear.   
"No, you don't hate me, this morning, you've told me that you love me... and I love you too Benny, and after this really funny moment even more." He kissed Benedict's ear.   
Ben's laughter were gone, when he felt Martin's kisses; he had groaned when Martin had bit his neck, had purred as he had heard Martin's whispering voice in his ear and had hugged him, when he had heard his I love you.   
"Hmm, you’re right, I love you for being a little nasty man."   
Martin fell back completely on his feet and kissed Ben's chest and his lips murmured.   
"Eventually, it will be a very funny anecdote one day."   
Ben smiled and stroked Martin's back.   
"We should take care of the food again, maybe I. And you as a wine expert, you can pour the wine." He gave Martin a kiss on the head before they broke apart.   
Martin grinned up at him.   
Ben grinned and then turned back to the stove. 

While Martin poured the wine and brought the two glasses in the living room, Ben finished the pasta.   
He heard Martins laugh again and he grinned to himself. The cork had simply stuck too firmly in this bottle. He beat Martin on his bum when he came back to fetch the cutlery and the cheese. They were both laughing   
"Can you stop laughing now?!”   
Martin turned his head around and shook his head.   
The laughter died slowly in the living room.   
Ben shared the pasta on the two plates, turned off the stove and carried the two plates to Martin. 

Martin had turned on the light, the television was off again, music was on, one of Martin's soul records.   
Ben smiled at him, he put down the plates and sat down with Martin.   
The smaller one of them smiled and raised his glass.   
"On... a nice beginning of our relationship!?"   
Ben smiled and raised his glass.   
"On a beautiful end of you and I... and the beginning of the common we and us."   
Martin smiled and clinked glasses with Ben, they drank a sip and set the glass down.


	13. Opportunities in bed

They had eaten their pasta, were now leaning against the backrest of their chairs. Martin had his wine glass in his hand and turned it slowly, Ben's hand was on the table, the fingers on the stem of the wine glass. "I’m looking forward for New Years Eve and I’m very pleased that Simon has invited you. I had thought about it at breakfast, when we talked about it but I couldn’t invite you, without talking to Simon about it. The thought of celebrating New Years Eve together with you as a couple is great. I’m really looking forward to it." Ben smiled over to Martin. "I'm also very happy Martin that we can spend the last night of the year and the first day in the new year together. One year, which will be completely different, privately. I look forward to the New Year with you, too." Martin smiled lovingly "I think it would be nice if we could somehow celebrating Christmas a bit just for us. We are both with our families ... or our families with us. But I would like to celebrate Christmas a bit with my partner." Ben bowed his head, smiling. "We could celebrate our Christmas on the 27th." Martin listened to his words and nodded. "That sounds fantastic, Benny." His eyes shining over to Benedict before he finished the last sip of his wine and set down the glass. "Let's clear up and then go to bed? I’m not in the mood for more television and in bed there are still plenty of opportunities." said Benedict, raised an eyebrow and smiled gently, Martin raised his eyebrow too. "Plenty of opportunities in bed? ... You should definitely show me what yo mean." "You don’t need to ask me twice." Smiled Ben and stood up. Martin smiled and stood up with his partner. "That’s what I wanted to hear." He handed Benedict his plate and took the two empty wine glasses. Ben followed him with a smile in the kitchen, he cleared the plates, the cutlery and the used cooking stuff in the dishwasher while Martin washed the wineglasses by hand. He put the wine away and acknowledged the corkscrew back in the drawer.   
"I'm done." He said and felt Benedict behind him, who embraced him and blew a kiss on his nape. "Me too and now I'll show you the opportunities in bed." He conducted Martin in his embrace to the bedroom, padded with him slowly down the hall, distributed on the way further kisses in Martins neck and let his hands wander to his belt. His fingers opened it, just as the button and before Martin entered the bedroom, he slipped his pants from his butt. He got out of his pants and entered the bedroom, the pants lay at the door and he let out a harsh groan as Benedicts hand slowly drove in his shorts. "Ben!” The man behind him stroked gently his cock and muttered. "That's a thank you for your caresses on the sofa." His lips kissed gently Martins neck. Martin closed his eyes and moaned. Ben's hand drove smoothly one more time over his cock before he let go of the shorts again and pushed up Martins sweater. The man in front of him helped Benedict with the sweater, shortly after that he fell next to Martin on the floor. Ben shoved Martin gently towards the bed, his hand stroking his belly up, over his chest, his thumb brushed lightly over Martins nipples and his lips are making their way over Martins neck to his shoulder. He bit him lightly in the shoulder and Martins purrs and moans were even louder. "God, it's incredibly hot. Don’t you dare take your hands off of me again today and certainly not your lips.” His whole body was tingling now by Benedicts touches and he couldn’t wait to feel more of Benedicts lips and hands on his skin. Ben directed him slowly to the bed, his lips kissed their way back to his ear, distributed there gentle kisses before turning him over. His hands wandered down his back, drove in Martins pants, stroked over his hard cock and gave him a passionate kiss. Martin moaned his name into the kiss, replied Benedicts kiss eagerly, his hands moved nervously between them both, fumbled on the belt and button of Benedicts pants and pushed them together with Benedicts shorts from his hips. The pants and shorts slid down to the ground. Benedict made a step forward with Martin, he stepped out of his pants and shorts and pressed Martin down towards the bed. Martins hands moved under Ben's sweater, he felt the bed underneath him, Ben who had a hand in his hair. He kissed him further, hungry for more, pushed the sweater upward until Benedict had to broke up the kiss. He sat down, pulled the sweater over his head and threw it off the bed. Martin looked up, his heart racing, he was pretty excited and pulled Ben back down to him, pressed his lips back on Benedicts. Ben purred into the kiss, he enjoyed the feeling of Martins bare skin, his longing kiss and fingernails who gently drove his spine up and down, his other hand drove in his hair. He bit Martins lower lip and then deepend the kiss. He grabbed the blanket and pulled it over himself and Martin. He broke the kiss as he ran out the air, gently kissed Martins chin down to his Adam's apple, further down on his sternum. Martin sighed, his hand stroked Benedicts back up while he kissed Martins nipples, licked over them and gently bit them. Martin groaned deeply, his hand crawled in Ben's hair, his hips pushed gently upwards, they searched Ben's erection. Martins moans excited him even more, he kissed further down on his stomach, distributed small gentle kisses, his hand went Martins arm down, he hooked his fingers with Martins, who squeezed his hand. He held Ben's hand firmly, squeezed it again and again, his legs trembling slightly, he knew what Ben was up to and only the thought of it made him shiver. His heart raced, the stomach tingled, his head buzzed. More than a deep and loud groan he couldn’t form when he felt Benedicts lips on the inside of his thigh and then he felt his lips on the head of his cock. He squeezed Benedicts hand even more, let out a moan after moan as he felt Bens wet and hot mouth around is erection. Bens lips, his teeth, his tongue stroked repeatedly over his twitching cock. Every now and then his tonuge licked with pressure over its top. His chest rose and fell quickly and Martin escaped the next loud groan. "Jesus. Ben. God ... that ... ohh ... Benny." He removed his hand from Benedicts handle, grabbed him by the shoulders and let him stop. If he would licked one more time with his tongue over his top it would be over and that wasn’t the plan. He want to enjoy it a bit longer. "I’m too close." Whispered Martin hoarsely. Ben gently looked at him. Martin turned him over, so that Ben was lying on his back now. He put a hand on Martins butt, felt Martins kisses on his collarbone, kisses over his shoulder, his arm downwards and over his stomach to his chest. He groaned when Martin caressed his nipples and pursued Martin with the eyes as he licked a hot and wet trace with his tongue downwards to his belly, then again he distributed kisses and disappeared under the blanket. His hand was slipped upwards on Martins back, was now lying on his shoulder, his other hand lay beside him on the sheets. The next thing he felt was Martins mouth around his hard cock. He groaned, his hand clutching the sheets, crawled in Martins shoulder, what made his partner moan deep. The lustfully sounds from Benedict aroused Martin even more. His tongue licked over Benedicts full length and his balls before he took his cock again in his mouth. His teeth scraped over Bens erection. Benedicts deep groan was mixed with deep sighs and throaty purr, the sounds were continuously to hear. His thoughts were literally blown away, he felt his heart racing, everything tingled at him, his knees were weak. As Martins tongue and his teeth were even more intense, Ben drove through Martins hair, moaning loudly, he crawled tightly, searched for a grip, his legs were trembling. "Martin! Fuck…stop it...oh god." He closed his eyes, felt that Martin licked slowly one more time over is aching cock, before he pulled his lips away, caressed with his fingertips the inside of his thigh and kissed his way upwards again. His erection rubbed over Benedicts, both men groaned before they closed their lips in a hungry kiss. Ben's hand went between them both, took Martins and his twitching cock in his hand and stroked almost painfully slowly up and down with gentle pressure. Martin broke the kiss, groaned loudly as he felt Ben's hand and his erection against his. "Please Ben...fuck please…faster…now please." He begged and looked at him with a lust-shrouded gaze. Ben responded to his words as hoped and stroked with his hand faster up and down, with more pressure until they both came. They were loudly moaning the name of the other into the bedroom, squirted they semen over Benedicts belly. Martins forearm trembled, he gasped, pressed his forehead on Ben's chest, who gently and slowly stroked their cocks and then let his fingers wander to Martins hips. He wrapped his arms around Martin, pushed him gently on his upper body. Martin snuggled himself against Benedicts body. Both were panting, coated with a light film of sweat, they were silent, calmed her breathing, the slight trembling of her legs, arms, relaxed slowly in the arms of the other.   
Martin was the first one who broke the silence that had spread in the bedroom after the moans of pleasure. "This morning handjob today was breathtaking, but this here had absolutely topped it." His fingers drew circles on Ben's arm. A sigh escaped Ben. "Hmh, topped by far." Ben's hand gently stroked Martins back, his lips pressed him a kiss on the hair. Martin shivered, snuggled even closer to Ben. "Hmmm Benny.” He felt the second kiss, which was placed gently on his head, felt the smile in Ben's voice when he said. "All good things come in 3... together again – a shower?" Martin chuckled and nodded at Benedicts chest, he stopped his pats on Benedicts arm and raised his head, the lips of his partner tenderly cupped with his own. Ben kissed him carefully before both stood up. The bed was a mess, the clothes of the two lay in front of it, Martins pants still lay outside the bedroom in the hallway, he pushed it into the bedroom with his foot, then followed Ben into the bathroom. His friend had already turned on the shower.

The water ran over the two bodies, Ben's hand drove slowly through Martins wet hair, brushed it gently backwards. Martin smiled, put a hand on Ben's back, with the other he wiped over his eyes. He yawned, he was exhausted and he knew it would not take long, with Benedict beside him in bed, to fall asleep. Ben's hand brushed over Martins back, he bent down, blew a kiss on his cheek. The water washed them both clean. Martins lips kissed Ben's collarbone before he turned off the water.   
Back in the bedroom Martin lay on his back, ran a hand across his face and yawned again before he turned on his side and felt Benedict behind him. The big man snuggled up to him under the blanket, wrapped his arms around Martin and snuggled himself close to him, cuddled his face in Martins hair. He closed his eyes, breathed a kiss in his hair, heard Martin pleasurable sigh. Martin hooked his fingers with one hand of Benedict, the other has he pushed under his head and Benedicts other hand lay on his stomach. "Sleep well love." He murmured tired before he heard Benedicts lovingly whispher in his hair. "You too, hun." Martin gently squeezed his hand, drifted more and more into the bed, snuggled closer to Ben before sleep overcame him.


	14. The breakfast

I'm really sorry that all of you must wait such a long time. I'll try to add the next chapters faster. :-)

 

Sun rays flooded the bedroom the next morning. They shone Martin directly into the face, who was already half awake and squinted his eyes. The sun rays tickled him in the nose, he pulled his fingers away from Benedicts hand, rubbed his nose and put his hand in front of his eyes. Benedict behind him noticed nothing of that, his face was still pressed in Martins hair, his hand was still lying on Martins belly, he had pushed one leg between Martins. It was clearly too light in the bedroom, so Martin rubbed his eyes, opened his eyes and pinched them together again as the sun blinded him. He felt the man behind him and as he thought about the last night, he smiled to himself. He turned his head slowly and gently back and saw Benedict still asleep. His smile broadened, he slowly stroked Bens hand from his stomach, turned on the other side as carefully as possible and watched Ben while he was sleeping. His heartbeat went faster, because the man next to him was the man who had become such a great colleague, with whom he accorded so well and had such an incredible chemistry, both on camera and off camera. The man who had become a very good friend, shortly after their acquaintance and who had made him falling in love with him, the man who was no longer only his colleague and friend, but also his partner. 

The feeling was great, it was indescribable and he enjoyed it, how much they harmonized at this level, now it seemed so easy. His eyes searched the sleeping man in front of him, his tousled hair, the beard, his gentle face. He raised his hand and stroked slightly above his hair. Ben sighed in his sleep, didn’t move. Martin smiled and pulled gently and slowly away from him, he stood up and Ben was now blinded by the sun rays, he snarled and turned to the other side, snuggled his face more in Martins pillow. His partner smiled down to him, he picked up fresh clothes from his closet and went to the bathroom to take a shower.  
Benedict noticed nothing, not even that Martin came back again after taking a shower to look if he was awake. When he saw that Benedict was still asleep, he decided to go to the bakery to get some things for breakfast, he knew that the bakery was open until 11am on Sundays and sold a few different rolls and croissants. He looked at his watch, it was just half past 10am, so Martin went downstairs, took his jacket and shoes and left the house.

It was still cold, the snow hadn’t thawed, but it hadn’t snowed overnight. He strolled along the street to the bakery and entered the shop. In the queue before him stood only an elderly couple and a younger woman. While he was waiting he reads the new messages on his mobile phone and answered some of them. He put the phone back into his pocket when it was his turn. He bought a few rolls and croissants and strolled back home. When he unlocked the front door it was still quiet in the house, he chuckled to himself, Ben still seemed to sleep. He undressed, put the bread bag into the kitchen and made for Benedict coffee, tea for himself and prepared a tray with the croissants, jam and butter. He waited for the coffee and the tea, put it both on the tray and carried it upstairs to the bedroom. 

The image that offered him had absolutely not changed. Ben was still lying on the side, with his back to the window to escape the sun rays, his head didn’t lay on the pillow, because he was cuddling it against his chest. Martin smiled gently, put the tray on his bed side and came to Ben. He sat down on the bed and stroked gently down his cheek, leaned down to Ben and breathed a light kiss on the temple before he softly whispered something in his ear.   
"Benny, wake up, breakfast is ready and the coffee is waiting for you."  
Benedict felt the weight on the mattress, someone leaned over him, gave him a kiss on the temple, which made him sigh. He heard Martins warm voice whispering in his ear, talking about breakfast. He opened one eye, looked up to Martin, who was just sitting there and smiled at him gently. He felt Martins hand in his hair, then his fingers, which caressed tenderly over his cheek. 

"Morning sweetheart." he heard again Martins warm, soft voice, he pressed the pillow more against his chest, opened the other eye. 

"Umm, morning." he murmured and looked up to Martin. The hand rubbed gently over his bare arm, lay down on his hand and squeezed gently. Benedict smiled up softly, rubbed his other hand over his eyes, rubbed once even through his hair and yawned. 

"You've already made breakfast?" he asked. Martin smiled and nodded.

"I've already done completely different things this morning while you were sleeping." Benedict raised an eyebrow and Martin smirked.

"Nothing indecent! I had a shower and there you were sleeping, when I had finished, I went to the bakery and got us breakfast. " 

Ben smiled up at him, rubbed again over his eyes. "Oh God, how long have you been awake?" 

"One hour approximately, it's almost half past 11am." 

His friend's eyes widened. "Half past 11am? Why haven’t you woken me up?"

Martin smiled and stood up. "I didn’t want to, you slept so deep and so I simply used the time and brought us some breakfast." He retired from his sweater and put it away. 

"Sorry that I slept so long, you really could have wake me up." 

Martin smiled at him, pulled down his trousers and stood there only in his black polo shirt and his shorts. "There is nothing for what you have to apologize, I liked to do it and now I come back to bed and then we have breakfast." 

Ben smiled and bowed his head. "What? In bed? Have you brought it upstairs?" he sat up and pursued Martin with his eyes, who went around the bed and raised the tray. "Yeah." he smiled at him. Ben looked at the tray in Martins hands and then beamed up at him. "Wow, um just wait a second."   
He stuffed the two pillows to the back of the bed, sat right up and raised the bedcover, so that Martin could slip under the bedcover. Martin waited and slipped then into to bed with the tray and put it slowly onto his lap. He looked at Ben, whose eyes beaming at him tired. He bent down to Martin, kissed his lips lovingly with little kisses, muttering. "Good morning again, love." He put his lips again on Martins, who smiled into the kiss and returned it. Benedict ran his tongue gently over Martins lip, asking for entrance. Their tongues met, danced gently together, Ben grabbed Martin gently on the open collar of his polo shirt and let his tongue dancing tenderly with Martins. They broke the kiss slowly, Martins nose stroked once over Bens, looked him into the eyes and muttered. "Good morning." 

Ben smiled, let go his polo shirt and leaned back against the pillow. "Croissants, jam and coffee, that's great." 

Martin smiled at him and handed him his coffee. "Then enjoy the breakfast, darling."

Ben took the cup and beamed over to Martin, he slowly sipped, closed his eyes enjoyable as he felt the coffee taste in his mouth. "Hmm, is there always breakfast in bed when I am with you and sleep longer than you?" 

Martin chuckled, he had his tea in his hand and shook his head. "No Benny. Then it’s nothing special anymore."

"You're right, on the other hand, a great pity, I was thinking about a life long prank on you and prentending every morning that I’m still asleep until you got up and make a lovely breakfast for bed." he grinned softly and drank again a sip of his coffee.

"You wouldn’t believe how long I could stay in bed if I have no appointment or need to be on set." He was laughing, while he put his teacup back on the tray and took one of the croissants. 

"But you're the older one of us. You have to take care of me." grinned Ben.

Martin turned his head to him, grinned softly, handed him the other croissant. "Please eat before you give more nonsense from you and drilling in the wound that I am 44." he grinned, gave him a kiss on the temple and murmured in his ear. "Besides from that my dear, you're old enough now and so you have to take care of the elderly people – and that’s me." He pressed a gentle kiss on Benedicts ear and then devoted himself to his breakfast. Ben smiled gently over to him, put down his coffee cup and also began with his croissant.


	15. Bowyer's Water

Martin put the tray on the floor and leaned back against the backrest of the bed. 

He had barely ajar, as he felt Benedicts head on his shoulder, he nuzzled gently against him. "Thanks for the breakfast, it’s a long time ago since I’ve had breakfast in bed. And the awakening was also very nice, actually the whole weekend so far, I don’t know for what I want to say thank you as the first."   
Martin smiled and turned his head to him, pressed a kiss on Benedicts hair.  
"I really liked it to make you breakfast and I also like the weekend. Everything with you so far. I was afraid it might initially be somehow weird, from colleagues to friends, then partners. And apart from my little experience in my youth, it was all very new for both of us. But it's not weird, it is very pleasant and I feel incredibly well with you."   
Ben had closed his eyes, let his head rest on Martins shoulder and listened to his words.   
"Hmh, same as you. It didn’t feel strange. It's nice and I enjoy it very much Martin and I look forward to the things, who will come with you."  
His fingers stroked over Martins belly on the poloshirt, he had his eyes closed, enjoyed Martins body heat and felt Martins lips again at the side of his head. He smiled to himself and muttered,  
"Maybe I could stand up and take a shower, so we can spend the second advent still out of bed."   
Martin's voice gently whispered at his ear,   
"Yes, you can do that and then we can think about what we can do."  
Ben nodded against his shoulder, ran his hand again over Martins stomach and then sat up. He stretched with pleasure and smiled at Martin, breathed him a kiss on the cheek before he stood up and went to his bag.  
"I hurry up. I slept through half of the day."

Martin smiled after him, looked at his naked back view, slowly from head to toe. He scanned every centimeter of his body, his eyes wandered from his hair down over his shoulders and back, got stuck a little longer on his buttocks, pursued his legs down and let his eyes then move upwards his body again, but only came to the butt. He can’t took his eyes from it. He hadn’t gave Benedict an answers, because he hadn’t heard him, he was too busy with watching. Ben had culled his things, turned to Martin, who now looked him right in the crotch.  
Ben raised an eyebrow and smiled.   
"Mr. Freeman, you stare! "  
Martin blinked a few times, the view was even better than his butt or was it the other way? He looked up slowly, his cheeks slightly flushed.  
"The view was too nice, couldn’t look away.”, he chuckled, scratching the back of his head.  
Ben smiled at him.   
"Thank you for the compliment. I'll go, take a shower and then I'll come to you."  
Martin looked gently into his eyes as Benedict spoke and nodded. No sooner than Ben had turned to go to the bathroom, Martins eyes walked over his body again until he disappeared from his view, which was too quickly. He sighed and stood up, grabbed his jeans, pulled it on and then brought the tray to the kitchen. 

He cleared away the dishes while Benedict was showering.When he had finished, he leaned slightly against the kitchen, looked out of the window, wondering if he had more desire to stay here or to go somewhere.

He heard that the water was going out and looked out of the window, the sun was still shining on a bright blue sky, let the snow glistening. The minutes passed away until Benedict had dried and dressed and came to Martin in the kitchen. He came to him, put the hand gently on Martins back, who grabbed his hand briefly backwards and knocked on Benedicts hip.   
"So, I was thinking about what we could do. I would remain to stay here or just go for a walk somewhere. Where is not so much going on."   
Martin nodded.   
"That's good, I've already thought that we just go out and walk a bit. On Bowyer's Water, which is only fifteen minutes away by car and mostly it is also fairly quiet."  
"Great, then let us got, Martin."  
The smaller one turrned to Benedict with a smile on his face.   
"Then I'll pull over a jumper, it's pretty cold outside, even if it doesn’t look like it. I'll bring you your gloves."

He gently stroked Ben again on the chest before he went to his bedroom to get a jumper and Benedicts gloves. When he came back, Ben had already put on the shoes, he smiled up when Martin returned.   
"Thank you, love.", he smiled as Martin gave him his gloves.

The two men went on, each of them tied a scarf around his neck, Martin still took his cap and a pair of sunglasses, because the sun had just been blinded him on the road to the bakery. They walked together to Benedicts car and Martin navigated him the few miles to Bowyer's Water. They found a nearby parking lot and started walking. Benedict put on the gloves while their were walking and smiled softly to Martin. The smaller man smiled at him through his sunglasses, the cap on his head, pulled his lips into a broad, gentle smile. They walked on the path that led to the water, side by side. Martin had his hands buried in the pockets of his jacket, enjoying the cool air and the sun, that shone down on them. It was actually not much going on here, just a few other walkers, families, older couples.

How happy he would be if he could take Benedicts hand, but the chance that they were detected was too big. And Martins sun glasses and cap changed nothing in this case. Ultimately, no other cladding experiments would work, which mostly only drew more attention. He had already tried it, several times, to hide behind deep-seated caps, glasses or other accessories, every time without any success, every time he failed. It was not that he had a problem with walking arm in arm or hand in hand, in public, or even exchange a kiss and he knew he wouldn’t have a problem to do that with Benedict in the future. However, he thougt that it was simply too early to inform everyone that Benedict and he were in a relationship. And that would happen, if they would now holding hands. Although he himself, like Benedict, wasn’t active in the Internet, he knew how quickly these images would spread. A picture of them both would be enough and it would be in any social network. That was clearly too early for him and Benedict too. The next point was, that this with Ben, was his private life and had nothing to do with his work, in which he like to share things with his fans. They would find out it soon enough. He smiled up at Ben, who was looking down at him with a smile.  
"It's nice here, Martin."   
"Yes, in every season, even if I like the city, here you just have peace.", he chuckled softly. "Aside from the two families and the two elderly people behind us." 

His partner smiled down, would like to put his arm around Martin, the desire was big. It would have been nice, if they were absolutly alone here, but probaly even then he wouldn’t have done it. They both had said that they are just friends outside Martin's house and his house and he was fine with it and it was important. It was a new situation for both of them, they were never previously been in a relationship of this type, generally were a longer time without a partner and Ben wanted to get to know this new intimate relationship with Martin, get to know Martin in this relationship, what he liked and what he don’t like, how it is like with Martin as a partner in everyday life. Instead of gentle embrace, he softly pressed his shoulder. Martin understood the gesture and punched him gently in the upper arm, smiling lovely.

They strolled, continue talking about trivial things, waved a child on a sled, which had laughed and simply waved them. The snow crunched under their shoes and glittered in the sunlight in front of Martin und Benedict. They passed two children who had built a snowman, their parents were sitting on a bench by the water. 

"As I was a child I could do this for hours, build snowmens, the larger the better.", said Benedict with a smile.   
"Simon and I had build a snowmen last year with Matilda, in Simons garden. I think Simon had had more fun than Matilda.", he grinned up. "Matilda had always torture us to build it even bigger and thicker. Ultimately, he really become quite big."   
Ben grinned down at him.   
"Perhaps we've snow on Friday, then you two can build her a snowmen again, but this one must be even bigger and thicker than the last snowmen, of course."   
Martin laughed and nodded up to Benedict. 

Benedicts car was already in sight, Martin had his hands buried back in the pockets of his jacket.   
"I'm looking forward on a nice cup of tea with you on the couch."   
Ben has pulled off his gloves and took the car keys from his coat pocket.   
"Me too, dear.", he said softly toward Martin and opened the car.   
Martin had navigated him back, they had stopped at a Chinese, had bought some food, that had Benedict put on the kitchen counter, before he started to pull of his shoes, scarf and coat. Martin was already busy with the tea while Ben brought the food into the living room.

"Music or TV or anything else?", he called from the living room, where it was warm because of the heater.   
"Music Benny, unless you want to see something, you can also turn on the TV, if you like.", called Martin back.  
"Music is also enough for me."   
He went to Martins collection and simply pulled out a record from the shelf.  
"You have so many records, if you wish to hear a specific, then you must search a lot of hours, right?”, he called out to the kitchen.   
Martin didn’t respond and Benedict wanted to call after Martin, when he came with the teapot and two empty cups into the living room and put the things to the food on the coffee table. Martin smiled at him.  
"No, I don’t have to search long. They are sorted by year of publication."   
Ben put the record into the recordplayer.   
"Do you know of each record when it was published?"   
"No, not exactly the year, but I love soul music, as you know and I liked it always very much, I know when songs or records came out, circa, and then I know where the records takes place on the shelf. It is also my collection."   
He smiled gently at Ben and collapsed on the couch.

He listened to the sounds that came from the record player and gently bowed his head, his eyes beamed over to Benedict.   
"One of my favorite records."   
Ben came to him, sat down beside him on the sofa.   
"Honestly? I just randomly picked one of them."   
"That was probably a stroke of luck."   
He leaned over and gently kissed his lips again before he even get tea poured Ben and took Ben's box with food and handed it to him.   
"Damn it, I could pretend that I knew it and choose it because of that. Thanks Martin."  
Martin grinned broadly.   
"That would have been an absolutely obvious lie. And your acting talents wouldn’t have helped."   
He grabbed his food and Ben grinned broadly.   
"Yes, I suppose I would have failed.”  
He opened his box of chinese noodles and took the chopsticks.   
“Thanks for the food, love.", smiled Martin over to Ben and leaned comfortably on the sofa, he was half-turned to Ben, who smiled at him with the food in his hand.   
"Do not mention it, my great life partner has indeed invited me yesterday for a nice breakfast. You also enjoy your meal."  
Martin smiled gently. 

The couple ate together, drank tea, listened to the music, chatted casually and cuddled on the sofa. This time Benedict was on his back, Martin between his legs, could be embraced by Ben and laid his head on Bens chest. The afternoon went by and the two men enjoyed the togetherness on the sofa. In the evening they cooked again, zapped through the television program, before they lay down to bed.   
The opportunity in bed was limited solely on speeches. Benedict was in front of Martin on the side, Martin had placed one leg over Benedicts hip, one arm wrapped around his stomach and the other was below Benedicts head. Martins face clung to Benedicts neck, his lips now and then breathed kisses in it.  
They had already repeatedly said goodnight yet, but begun again to talk, only after the fifth time both men silenced, Martins kisses on his neck stopped and they fall asleep.

The next morning they were awakened by the ringing of Benedicts mobile phone. They cuddled a few minutes in bed before they shared a shower and breakfast. The couple also enjoyed lunch together even before Benedict moved for his appointment in London.   
They both stood at the front door, Martin had Benedicts face cupped in his hands, kissed him tenderly, ran his thumb over Benedicts cheeks, sighed softly into the kiss. Benedict had put his arms around Martin, kissed him and muttered afterwards to his lips.   
"Have a nice week, Martin. I text you tonight when I am at home."  
Martin blew him a kiss on the nose.   
"Yeah, thanks and you have a good time with your appointments this week." 

"I love you.", breathed Ben against his lips before he even gave him a kiss on the lips.   
"I love you too, Benny." 

With that, Benedict smiled again, before he went on his way to London and Martin's house now somehow seemed empty and quiet without Ben.


	16. The night before the force awakens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback, reviews and critic are very welcome :) If it's good or bad. It doesn't matter. :)  
> J.M.C.

The week flew by, Martin completed a few things at home, met with one of his brothers and enjoyed the free time at home with music and reading. He hadn’t seen Benedict this week, but they had wrote and telephoned with each other. On Friday, Martin had gone to Simon and his family. Simon hadn’t mentioned Benedicts visit, but on the last Saturday he had even pondered a bit about it, but the whole thing and the behavior does not make sense for him. The simple solution that his two friends had entered a relationship, did not come to his mind. He knew the two had been incredibly sympathetic from the beginning and that they have a close friendship, but he had never thought about the fact, that it could be more than just great chemistry and friendship. Even if they had always joked and Simon had shown them, especially Martin, again and again all the fanart.

The couple spend the Saturday and Sunday together in Benedicts house and Martin also came back to him on Monday night after a couple of dates in London. They had enjoyed the time together. Martin felt good in Benedicts presence, it was great with Ben, even if they hadn’t seen each other over the week. They had exchanged more intense and intimate caresses, but so far they leave it with simple caresses, handjobs and blowjobs, to got to know their bodies and preferences. It harmonized in the area of sex. No one had such an extreme preference that the others did not like, it fit well together.

It was Wednesday, specifically Wednesday Night 2:35am, so actually already Thursday, when Martin looked at his alarm clock in the bedroom. Today was the premiere of Star Wars in London. Benedict and he wanted to meet there. Simon was looking forward to see the two today, he had sent Martin and Benedict a few pictures from the premiere in LA. Martin wiped the sweat from his forehead, his hair was almost completely wet, the T-Shirt soaked with sweat, he sat on, exhausted and coughed. He already didn’t felt good today at his interview, at home he had relaxed in the bathtub, then collapsed on the sofa, had drunk tea after tea while he zapped through the program. He had fallen asleep on the sofa and gone to bed when he wake up in later, tried to recover, but he woke up constantly because of a stuffy nose or a extreme cough. The tea with honey, which he had drunk half an hour ago, had not helped long, obviously. He sighed after coughing, the T-Shirt clung to his upper body, he freed himself from the bedcover, stood up in a sluggish mood and felt even worse than half an hour ago.

He needed to take a shower, a headache tablet and putting on fresh clothes, maybe at last he was able to sleep. He dragged himself into the bathroom, turned on the shower and took off his clothes only when he saw the steam in the shower. Suddenly he felt cold without a blanket. He stood under the hot water jet, leaned his forehead against the tiles in the shower. He had the feeling his head would burst, the rest of his body just ached. He was exhausted, just wanted to sleep, but since he had gone to bed, he woke up again nearly every thirty minutes and every time he felt worse than before going to sleep. Would that not getting better, he probably would can forget the Premiere. That wouldn’t be a good idea, to stand in the cold on the Red Carpet, with a flu and then eternally watch the film. He turned off the shower after ten minutes, shivered when he came out and dried off quickly, withdrew his boxershorts on, his sweatpants and put on a fresh T-Shirt and a sweater in the bedroom, at least he put on socks and grazed over the robe, he had received from the Hobbitset.

He went into the kitchen, made a tea, sought alongside a headache tablet. He took them before he sat down with the tea on the couch, snuggled into the Hobbitrobe and nearly spilled the whole tea over his hand and his robe when a new attack of coughing overcame him. Some tea had spilled over. He tried to calm down before he snuggled back into his coat, he closed his eyes. He was absolutely not self-pitying, but it felt not good. He drank the tea in small sips, leaning back on the sofa, wrapped the cloak more around his body, snuggled more into it. In bed he had been sweating like crazy, now he was cold, in spite of the hot tea, his throat did hurt as hell with every sip, his nose was already useless to breathe, the painkiller hadn’t done his service yet and his arms and legs felt as if they were filled with tons of lead. His stomach hurt from coughing, which was slightly better at the moment by the tea and honey. He warmed his hands on the cup and looked around for his mobile phone, it was still on the coffee table in front of him, he drank the last sip of his tea and put it down, took the phone and gave in the code. Benedict had written to him again. Oh - he had forget to look when he woke up on the couch again and had dragged himself up into the bed.

_"Should I come over to you tomorrow after the premiere?"_ \- 6:02pm

_"You're probably asleep, you slowpoke. :-) Then sleep well, love. We'll see us tomorrow night. Looking forward and love you."_ \- 6:59pm

He tapped his text and sent it to Ben. He had decided to cancel the premiere tomorrow. He shouldn’t go to the premiere, he would catch the death and interfere every person in the cinema with his loud coughing, perhaps even infected a bunch of people, who then would thank him that they were ill at Christmas and spent it in bed. He let the cup stand on the coffee table, went back up to the bedroom, put the phone into the bed, as the next cough attack shaking him through and he writhed himself together while standing.

"The fucking tea wasn’t helpful.", he croaked.

He was frustrated, fall into bed, snuggled up into the robe and closed his eyes. The night would be terrible. He should keep absolutely right. Again and again he slept briefly, woke up again, always took the nasal spray to breathe somehow, since breathing through the mouth made the cough even worse. The headaches had returned and with them earaches. Repeatedly he had dragged himself into the kitchen, tried again some tea, took some pills for the fever and again a headache tablet and tried to do something for his ear. Everything had helped for a short time before it came back again just as bad as before.

Benedict had slept well, hadn’t wait for Martins response because he had already written in the afternoon that he would be totally knocked out and thought that he was just falling asleep on the couch. He went to the shower and made breakfast, sat down at his table with his food, the newspaper and his mobile phone. Before he opened the newspaper, he looked at his mobile phone, if in the meanwhile Martin had answered, he spooned his cereal and opened Martins message.

_"Hey darling. You were right I was falling asleep. I’m sorry, luv. Probably I must cancel the premiere tonight. Somewhere I have caught a quite nasty flu. Call me when you're just awake. Love you."_ \- 3:05am

He bowed his head, read the message again. 3:05am, now it was only a little after 9am. Should he call him now? If it was so bad, he would still sleep. He spooned the cereal on, pondered and called him. He wanted to know how he was feeling. He let it ring and Martin woke with the tone. He turned to the other side, was entirely wrapped in the cover and the robe. He felt like whacked, glanced at his watch before he went to the phone. He was actually falling asleep only 20 minutes ago. He had seen Benedicts name and his face already on the display.

_"Benny.", he brought the words quiet, raspy and barely audible over the lips. Ben looked into his cereal bowl, he had put on speaker._   
_"I think, because of this voice I didn’t need to ask you, how you’re feeling. Good morning, old bean."_   
_"Hmh, morning, love.", came it coughing out of Benedicts phone._   
_He really had to listen carefully to understand Martin, it was just a low, rough croak._   
_"You sound not good at all, have I woken you up, darling?”_   
_"Yeah you have, but it’s not so bad, I already was up all night, constantly."_   
_"Then I would say, you stay at home and cancel the premiere."_   
_"Hmh, exactly what I wanted to say."_   
_"Can I do something good for you? Do you need something from the doctor or something else?"_   
_"No, no..."_

A quite while the only thing one could hear, was Martins deep and strong cough, followed by several sneezes and Martins sigh.

_"Sorry, Benny. Um I’ve actually everything here, you do not have to come. I don’t want to infect you, next week is Christmas. I don’t want that you’re lying sick in bed on Christmas Eve."_   
_"Bless you, hun. Are you sure, that I shouldn’t have to come?"_   
_"Hmh, sure. Really, I want to sleep a little bit and recover somehow. I've got everything and I don’t want to infect you. Have a lot of fun tonight, huh? You can send me some photos."_   
_"If you need something, please let me know, Martin. And I will represent you as much as I can, with your obligatory middle finger."_   
_Martin laughed hoarsely and so did Benedictit. It was nice to hear his voice._   
_"Then please tell them clearly that you only want to represent me, before your good image is divided into pieces."_   
_Ben laughed softly._   
_“I'll see what I can do, try to sleep now and relax a little bit. I'll call back later."_   
_"Yeah, ok, it was nice to hear your voice, have fun later"_   
_"Um, it was not nice to hear yours, because now I’m still more worried."_   
_Martin smile._   
_"Martin?"_   
_"Benny?"_   
_"I love you!"_   
_"I love you too, Benny."_   
_"Get well, I'll call back later and write me, if you need anything."_   
_"Thank you, and I’ll do, luv. Bye."_   
_" Bye,Martin. Feel hugged."_

Martin smiled and the phone beeped constantly , Ben hung up. He tortured himself from the cover, shuffled down to the kitchen, made some tea and looked in the fridge for something to eat. He had to have a snack, recently he had eaten yesterday at lunch. Perhaps he would feel a little better after a meal.

 

See you :-)

J.M.C.


	17. The Premiere

The day passed away, he had eaten a bite, also informed Simon, that he would stay at home with fever and flu and that he was sorry about that. Simon had wished him a speedy recovery, wrote that it was okay and he should rather recover than come to the premiere. He spent the day on the couch, watched telly, drank tea and water, took pills again and fell asleep at noon, several hours. When he woke up, he had relaxed in the bathtub a while and threw himself back on the couch, with fruits and more tea and water. The TV was still running on the same program and he felt a bit fresher.The headaches had subsided, ears pain was still there, as were the sore throat, his nose at the moment, thanks to the nasal spray, free. His cough was while he drank tea good, but shortly thereafter it began again. He ate his banana on the couch, playing something on the phone and got a message from Ben. It was a selfie of him and Simon on the red carpet, the two were beaming into the camera.

 _"Simon wishes you a speedy recovery again and said: ' May the health be with you.’ We both represented you with your middle finger and the fans are very sorry that you're not there, but they also wishes you all the best. I hope you're doing a little better. You're missing here. Take care of you, love. I’m thinking of you and love you."_ \- Ben

Martin beamed at the image, grinned at Simon's comment and the middle finger, was also happy about the ‘get well soon’ from the fans and especially about Benedicts words. He enjoyed his worry about him and wished also that he would be here.

 _"Thanks to Simon. Tell him he's a movie freak and that he’s not allowed to constantly recite Star Wars. ;-) Thanks for the great representation and also thanks to the fans. I’m missing you as well and would have liked to spend the evening at the premiere with you. I love you. Kiss.”_ \- Martin

Benedict had put away the phone in his pocket, they were already inside, he was in the men's room. After washing hands, he checked his phone again, smiled at Martins message and then put his phone back. He would have liked to be here with Martin, even if they had not been seen as a couple on the red carpet. But he loved Martins presence, even as a friend. He took his phone out again and wrote Martin again, he was worried and wanted to make sure that there was everything ok with Martin. Martin saw that his phone blinked, he lay on his side on the sofa, grabbed the phone and read Benedicts message.

 _"How are you? Everything okay with you? Can I do anything for you?"_ \- Ben

Martin smiled, grabbed a new handkerchief, blew his nose first, before he answered and put his mobile phone away. He closed his eyes, listening to the sounds, coming from the TV. Benedict sat beside Simon. He felt the vibrate of the phone in his pocket and pulled it out. He leaned a little more away from Simon and turned the phone slightly away from him, before he came up with the idea to read along.

 _"A little better, have had lunch, slept quite a while. Otherwise still headache, sore throat, earache, sniff, cough and fever. The usual. Please do not worry, sweetheart. Please enjoy the evening and the movie. I’m alright. Kiss."_ \- Martin

Do not worry! Martin had good to say, now he was even more worried after Martins health report. He put the phone away, he didn’t wanted to answer, so Martin could recover. Martin was actually asleep again. When he woke up he was completely wet with his own sweat. He turned groaning on the sofa on his back. Despite the flickering of the television it was dark in the living room. He rubbed his temples, the headache were back, but the ear pain fortunately better. He slowly sat up, reached for his phone to look what time it was. Shortly after midnight, Martin sighed, stood up. He needed a shower, he felt uncomfortable. He shuffled up to the bathroom, climbed into the shower, the hot water rained over his body until he was almost dizzy because of the heat. He stepped out of the shower, dried off and changed again his clothes, he put on a fresh sweater, pajama pants, clean socks and slowly plodded back down, grabbed there his Hobbit robe and pulled it over, before moving to the kitchen. He boiled water in a kettle, got out some ginger and a kitchen grater. The ringing at the door startled him. He had not realized how the light had gone on in front of the house. He took a short breath.

Who on earth rang on his door at half past one, he wondered a little annoyed. He came to the door and opened it, looked up at the tall, slender man.

His heart did a hop, his eyes began to shine, his lips drew to a warm broad smile. Benedict stood before him, with a dark shirt, dark jeans and a jacket. His eyes were warm but worried.

"Hey."   
After the movie and a few minutes on the After Show Party, he said Goodbye to Simon and some other colleagues, with the excuse, that he would be completely exhausted of the last few days.  
"Benny, sweetheart!" Martin's eyes shone, he stepped slightly aside. The big man smiled and stepped inside, Martin closed the door behind him, while Ben slipped out of his shoes and his jacket. He turned back to Martin, came to him and stroked Martin's hot cheek.   
"I thought, I'll come over for a sick-bed-vistit. Your message made me even more worried. How are you, love?"   
He breathed a kiss on the slightly damp hair. Martin sighed, leaned against Benedicts body.   
“Hmhh, I was having a shower right before you arrive and wanted to make a cuppa. Earaches are better, the rest is as before."   
Benedict put his arm around him, rubbing gently Martins back. Martin's voice was soft, still deep and raw.   
"You sound also still terrible and you're beastly hot." He pressed him a kiss on the hair. "Come on, go to bed, hmh? I'll make you a cuppa and then I'll come up to you."   
Martin pressed himself against Ben.   
"Hmmh, I don’t want to inject you, love."   
"That does not really matter, come on, hun. Go to bed, make yourself comfortable."

Martin pulled away and looked up to Ben, he nodded, gave him a weak kiss on the chest and shuffled slowly up to the bedroom. Ben looked at him, he let boil the water again, rubbed the ginger in Martins cup and poured the boiling water on it. He went into the living room, gathered up all his handkerchiefs, threw it away, put the fleece blanket, used by Martin, back together, put his cup and his glass in the dishwasher, also acknowledged the plate of fruit waste away and gathered Martins nasal spray. He turned off the light in the living room and turned off the television, before he grabbed the tea and came up to Martin, who had taken off his robe and sat under the bedcover, leaning against the backrest. He had closed his eyes, his nose was red, he looked pretty knocked out, his hands rubbed his temples. Benedict bowed his head, he came to him and said softly,

"Martin? Your tea."   
Martin opened his eyes and looked up to Ben, who handed the cup to him.   
"Caution, it’s hot."   
"Hmh, thank you, Benny."   
He grabbed the cup by the handle and set it down on his bent legs at the knee.   
"Never mind, love."   
The bedroom was quite warm, Martin had turned on the heater yesterday at the highest level. Benedict presented the nasal spray onto his bedside table and began to unbutton his shirt, put it aside and took off even jeans and socks. Martin blew into his tea and watched Benedict undress and how he got into bed with him. Martin's eyes were intertwined with those of Benedict.   
"Are you broken up the party because of me?", Martin asked guiltily.   
"Yes, but before you say anything now, that I should’ve enjoy the evening, I want to say something. I enjoyed the evening, okay? The fans were great, the interviews ok, the film amazing. But I've missed you, you were not anywhere else busy professional, you lay here with this nasty flu. I've just been worried about you and wanted to be with you, so that you’re not alone. I am now rather be here with you and I know that I can take care of you, than on the party without you. So it's all good, Martin."   
Martin sipped from the tea, he was sharp, but he knew he would probably help more than the honey concoction, which he had tried the last hours.   
"I,,,I’m not allowed to complain, I suppose?! Honestly, it's great that you're here, it's really nice to see you and to know that I can fall asleep in your comforting arms just after the tea and that you're taking care of me.", he coughed again.   
Ben grabbed the cup before the tea spilled over and landed in bed and not in Martins mouth. His partner still coughed, gasped and then rubbed his belly and chest, he leaned his head back against the wall, breathed.   
"You’re now shutting up, Martin and drink in peace your tea and then you'll just cuddle in my arms and sleep. Talking makes your cough not better."

Martin breathed again deeply, coughed again briefly, turned his head to Ben and wanted to say something, but then nodded when he saw Benedict's raised eyebrow. Bendict handed him his tea back. He drank it slowly and in small sips. Benedict beside him, gave him every now and then a kiss on the hair and murmured in his ear,

"It's nice to be with you, darling. It would have been nice, if you would have been there tonight as a good friend. With you it’s always makes a lot more fun."

Martin smiled while sipping his tea, closed his eyes briefly and enjoyed Benedicts deep voice in his ear. His eyes opened again, he looked into his cup, drank the last sip and put the cup away, took again the nasal spray and turned to Ben. His friend smiled at him, he slid down into bed, was lying on the back, he reached his arms out to Martin.

"Come here, love, cuddle time."

Martin smiled with thick, red eyes, red nose and a pale face, he followed Benedicts invitation and lay down on the side, slipping a bit down and put his head on Benedicts belly. He felt cold even though he knew he was glowing, he nuzzled his cheek more on Benedicts warm skin of the abdomen. He pulled the blanket up to his shoulders, Benedict was only until his waist under the blanket, which was completely fine with him. Martin skin was hot enough and the heating did the rest. He put a hand in Martins hair, began a gently massage to his head. He had scarcely begun, as there was a long sigh. His fingers massaged on, slightly back of his head, his temples along, occasionally, he drove lightly through his hair. Martin clung even more to him, put a hand to Benedict's hip under the blanket. He relaxed, the massaging was perfect.

"You are a lovely hot-water bottle and aspirin.", he muttered in Benedicts belly.   
"Close your eyes, Martin, the hot-water bottle and headache tablet is all night with you."   
Martin smiled and hugged Ben, gave him a weak kiss on the belly, he closed his eyes and muttered again.   
"Thank you for being here. I love you, you can’t imagine how much I do."   
"I love you, Martin and I can hardly put it into words. Please go to sleep, love. Tomorrow I'm still there."

Benedict looked down to Martin, massaging his head further, enjoyed his cuddle, the feeling of Martins words and shut his eyes slowly. Martin was asleep, slowly Benedicts massage had managed to finished his headache.


	18. Caring

I'm sorry for such a long time of absence. I was on vacation, now I'm back and with me a ne chapter.  
Hope you enjoy it.

 

The next morning, Martin awoke slowly from Benedicts caresses, he felt Ben's hand in his hair, the lightly playing with his hair, the slightly massage. He snuggled his body closer to him. During the night he hadn't changed his position. His head was still lying on Benedicts belly and Benedicts body heat had kept him warm the whole night. His body felt as if it was still filled with lead, he could only breathe with difficulty and noticed a horrible feeling when he swallowed. The headache was gone, saying goodbye before he was fall asleep, by Bens massage. Again he was a little sweaty, enjoyed Benedicts fingers in his hair and sighed. He whispered hoarsely.  
"Benny, morning, hmmh."   
He snuggled even closer, blew a little hot kiss on his partners stomach and then slid up a little more. His head now rested on Benedicts naked chest.   
"Good morning, love."  
He rubbed over Martins jumper on the back and massaged afterwards his shoulder with a gentle pressure.  
"How long are you awake?"   
"An hour or so, but you said that you've barely slept the night before, I didn't want to wake you up.", said he lovely.   
Martin nuzzled his face against Benedicts neck, then lifted his head and looked into Benedicts eyes. He smiled dizzy, with his red nose, lips dry, he was still pale.  
Benedict smiled and raised his other hand, put it on Martins forehead, to check his temperature. The fever was still there. His hand stroked gently over Martins cheek.   
"I get up now and make us some breakfast, for you a ginger tea. And you, my dear, you'll go upstairs and lay down on the sofa."   
Martin looked at him.   
"I can't leave you alone with the breakfast, you're the guest."   
"Ohh, you can! It's not a question, it's an order. I'll take a brief shower and then I'll make breakfast for you and me. Make yourself comfortable on the sofa."   
Martin sighed and nodded.   
"Yeah, ok, hun. I'll go downstairs and wait for you on the sofa."  
Ben smiled at him, gave him a kiss on his forehead and stood up.

The slender man went to the bathroom to take a shower. He needed cold water. Martin had heated him up with his glowing face on his belly the whole night and his warm clothes, which glowed as much as Martin himself. He enjoyed the cool water on his heated skin. After a few minutes he got out of the shower, dried off and pulled on his shorts. When he came into the bedroom, the bed was empty. Martin was in the living room, had even resisted the urge to make breakfast. Ben was right, he should rest and he was specially came to look after him and take care of him.   
Ben opened Martins wardrobe, he searched for the jumper that was too large for Martin and found him ultimately, he pulled him over. He came down the stairs only in a jumper and black shorts, the heat in Martins house was definitely sufficient to walk around without jeans and socks. He went to the kitchen and made breakfast, tea and coffee. Martin sat on the sofa, he had taken the blanket and listened to the sounds which came out of the kitchen.   
Cupboard doors opened and shut, whistling kettle, drawers were reared and fed pushed, the coffeemaker gurgled, dishes clattered.   
He had his legs pulled to his body, arms wrapped around, his head placed on his knees, he looked to the kitchen and waited for Ben.

The man whom he had used the night as a hot water bottle and headache tablet came into the living room, on his face a warm smile, his eyes beamed gently to Martin. He came with the tablet to him, put it on the coffee table. Martin replied Benedicts smile, followed his movements with his eyes and scanned the things on the tablet.   
Fruit salad and toast with egg - for Martin, cereal and coffee for Ben, tea with milk and certainly a piece of sugar for himself, a glass of water, a box of tissues, nasal spray, a shot glass with a strange liquid, probably this horrible tasting medicine. He lifted his head.   
"Thanks Benny, that's really lovely. Thanks also for tidying up my chaotic living room."   
"You're welcome, Martin. I made you a cup of black tea for breakfast and after that I'll make you a ginger tea."   
He smiled and sat down next to Martin.   
"You're a great nurse."   
"And I'm in a relationship with my patient, don't tell it the boss.", grinned Benedict and got a wide grin from Martin.   
"Not one word will come over my lips, love."   
Ben grinned and handed him the water.   
"Drink this, honey. Your lips are totally dry."   
Martin loosened his arms from his legs, took the glass of water, drank it down at once - pain with each swallow.

Ben gave him the toast with eggs, the fruit salad and after that he drank the tea, Ben had made for him. Finally Ben handed him the medicine, which he also swallowed down with a grimace. After breakfast and the tea he felt much better, the sleep had done well, the massage from Benedict last night. The fever juice would also help a little bit. He took a handkerchief, coughed and then blew his nose.   
"I'm cold. And I get even colder when I see you, barefoot and without pants."   
"Actually, that should make you hot, when I'm sitting next to you, just in boxers and jumper." smiled Ben and hears a raucous laughter beside him.   
"That makes me really hot, but I've a nasty flu and even you, without pants and only in these tight shorts and my sweater, can't defeat the cold."   
Ben grinned at him and bowed his head.   
"I'll let water in the tub for you, then you can warm up there."   
"That's good."   
He gently stroked Benedicts naked thigh. Ben smiled and squeezed Martins hand on his thigh. He winked at him, leaned over, gave him a kiss on the cheek and then stood up. "Relax, love. I call you, when the water is ready."

He stroked over Martins knee and went into the bathroom, turned on the water, sought fresh clothes for Martin and brought the things into the bathroom. Martin closed his eyes briefly, he heard the water and his stomach tingled. Benedicts care was lovely, it was great that he was here. That he was here, for all that he hadn't said anything to Ben, and Ben had done exactly what Martin had wished, to have him now here right now, to feel exactly this care of the man he loved. He smiled to himself, got up and shuffled slowly up to the bathroom. 

"I like it when you wear my jumper.", he muttered hoarsely to Ben, who turned to him and had just turned off the water.   
"I wanted to call you right now. And thank you."  
Martin peeled out of his jumper and his shirt. Ben smiled and mustered Martin, who undress himself, thrusting slowly down his pajama pants with shorts and slipped out of his socks. Ben's eyes darted over his body and even now, in this pale and sick state, he found him still damn sexy. Martin smiled at Benedict, had noticed his gaze, it was nice when Benedict looked at him in this way. He shivered slightly and came over to his partner, stroked slightly over his belly and climbed into the tub, sat down and leaned back, sank so deep into the water, that even his chin was slightly under water, he closed his eyes with a sigh.   
"Perfect."

Ben looked down at him, knelt down in front of the bathtub, pushed the sleeves of the sweater up and leaned an elbow down on the edge of the tub, the other hand disappeared with his forearm in the water, stroked Martin gently on the chest. A long pleasurable sigh escaped Martin, he turned his head to Ben, opened his eyes, looked in two warm, bright eyes.   
"Hey.", he muttered to his partner and got a gentle murmured ‘Hey’ back from Benedict. "Tell me how the evening was yesterday."   
Ben smiled and painted circles under the water on Martins chest.   
"It was busy, a lot of fans at the red carpet, quite a few well dressed or with laser swords. On the red carpet was also among other, Darth Vader with his Stormtroopers and R2D2. Yeah, um, Simon was in high spirits, but found that it was a shame that you couldn’t come, also he constantly began talking about you. To your comment with the Filmfreak, he meant, that you could forget it and that he would continue to recite Star Wars quotes. The fans also constantly asked me about you and if I knew where you were and why you're not here. And they want me to tell you their best wishes and a speedy recovery and they would all really looking forward to the special in January. Um, yes, the film was great, but I won’t tell you anything now. We just go to the cinema and watch it together, love."  
While he was speaking, he continued the gently circles on Martins chest, drove his hand over his stomach, his arm, shoulder, back down on his chest. Martin closed his eyes when Benedict started talking, enjoying Ben's affection and his deep, soft voice.   
"Shortly after the movie ended, I leave the party, with the excuse I would be really exhausted. I think Simon would have found it very weird and strange, if I would have said that I'm worried and want to look after you. That would have been something striking and slightly exaggerated for a pure act of friendship, d’you know what I mean. It’s a bad flu, but nothing what is really dangerous."  
Martin smiled and opened his eyes.  
"Yes, you're right, only because of a cold, visting a friend at night and run off from a premiere party, would’ve been a little bit strange. I really would’ve liked to be there, stupid that I have caught somewhere something. I really had looking forward to it. The cinema idea is great. We could go on the 27th December and go out for dinner after the film."  
"That sounds like a good plan for our Christmas Eve.", smiled Ben down at him, he had his head supported on his one hand, his eyes looked with a gentle, loving glances in Martins eyes.   
Under the water he grabbed Martins hand, squeezed it, ran his thumb over the back of the hand and squeezed it again. Martins legs were slightly bent, knees looked slightly out of the water. Ben removed his hand from his head and stroked slowly warm water over Martins knee. He drove each of his shin upward, spilled the water over Martins knee and stroked slightly down his thigh, only to caress it upwards again, to spill water over Martins knee and to caress his shin down a bit. The same procedure on the right knee, over and over again.

Martin sighed again, enjoyed the lovingly caresses from his partner, the water, which ran over his knees. Wouldn’t he feel so sick and exhausted and wouldn’t his limbs be in pain from fever, he already would have pulled Ben into to water and the whole bathing action wouldn’t be so G-rated. He closed his eyes again and enjoyed Benedicts procedure, sometimes he squeezed Bens hand and sighed in pleasure. He didn’t notice something else as the hands of his partner and despite the warm water, goose bumps spread over his legs.

 

J.M.C.   
See you tomorrow.


	19. Caring II

The pressure on his left knee brought him back, he opened his eyes, looked over to Benedict with a big question mark in his eyes.  
"Ahhh, Martin is back." He winked at Martin. "I think, it’s time to get out, love."  
He pressed gently Martins knee, stood up, pressed a hand on the edge of the bathtub and bent down, towards Martins mouth, who raised his hand out of the water and pressed it against Benedicts sternum.   
"No, Benny! I caught a cold, who knows what knocked me out."   
Benedict grabbed Martins hand on his sternum.   
"I was close enough to you the last couple of hours, have cuddled with you the whole night, touched your handkerchiefs and used cups and glasses. I want to kiss you now and your cold, flu or whatever you've and also you will not stop me from kissing you.”  
He smiled down at him, raised Martins hand to his mouth and kissed his palm. He dropped his hand to Martins ear and neck, bent down the last piece and put his lips on Martins, gave him a loving, soft kiss. He loosened his lips again, stroked Martins hair on the side and said,   
"I'm going to make you a cup of tea. There are fresh clothes for you."   
He gave him another loving kiss on the lips, smiled and stroked his head.   
"See you, darling."   
And with that he was gone before Martin had found his voice again.

Benedicts care had gave him a warm feeling in his stomach, since he had arrived. He could still feel his lips, his hand in his hair. He sat up quickly, went a little too fast out of the tub and had to hold on the edge, as it went black and his knees threatened to gave up.   
"Oops...that wasn’t a good idea.", muttered Martin to himself and waited until the dizziness subsided.   
He just wanted to go as quickly as possible down to Benedict, snuggle into his arms, cuddle, sleep, whatever, just be with him. He rubbed his eyes.

The two men entered the living room at the same time - by two different doors. Ben emerged from the kitchen with the ginger tea, Martin from the hallway, freshly dressed in sweatpants, socks, T-shirt and sweater. Ben smiled at him.   
"Do you need something else?"   
Martin came to him, sat on the sofa.   
"Thank you for the tea. Um, yes. You. Right here on the sofa with me."   
Ben smiled and sat down beside him, took the cup and held it under Martin's nose.   
"Before we cuddle, drink your tea. Cold tea is useless.”  
Martin took the cup with a smile and nodded, sipped the hot tea. He helped more than this brew of tea and honey. Ben leaned comfortably on the back of the sofa, while Martin slowly drank the tea. He coughed and it sounded not quite as bad as yesterday on the phone.   
"Are you a little better?"   
Martin nodded slowly, hung over the cup.   
"Yes, my headaches are gone since your message last night. The ear pain have subsided. Swallowing still hurts. Your tea tastes awful, Benny, it's incredibly sharp, but I must say that he has somehow helped at night."   
Ben chuckled softly.   
"If it helps, you need more of it. I'll make you another tea and soup, later."  
Martin smiled at him, over the cup, continued drinking in small sips.   
"Thank you, sweetheart. Really, it's great that you're here and you’re taking care of me."   
"I know you'd do the same for me, if I would get sick. Even if you're traveling anywhere else professionally, far away, you would ensure that I feel as good as possible, with calls, messages and other things. And I know you would gave me, probably, a much more loving care program, if you'd be nearby and could visit me."  
He stroked Martins thigh, who smiled at him gently.   
"Come on, Benny, the same you're doing for me right now and would you do as well, if hundreds or thousands of kilometers would separate us."   
"Of course, you're my friend and not only that, you are my partner and I love you and because of that I want that you’re happy and feeling good."

Martin smiled and put the empty cup on the table, grabbed the blanket, wrapped himself in it and then put the side of his torso on Benedicts lap, his head rested on the pillow, that lay beside Ben on the arm rest, he closed his eyes, felt Ben's arm slid under his neck and the other, which he wrapped around his waist, one hand lay on his back, the other hand lay on his shoulder blade. Ben held him in this gentle hug, looked down at him. Martins face lay on his arm and he murmured softly,  
"Love you too, hun."  
Benedict smiled, he held Martin in his arms, his thumbs stroked from time to time over Martins back and shoulder blade. The caresses dissolved goose bumps on Martins back and he snuggled closer. For him, the light pats of Ben, became quickly a dull feeling. Fever, hot tub, Benedicts body, let him falling asleep easily.

Ben had let him sleep, stroked with the thumb back and forth, looked repeatedly whether Martin was still asleep. He had turned on the telly with the remote control, turned the volume as much down as it was possible, so he could barely understood what was being said. The time flew by, it was already 3pm, as Martin moved slightly on his lap, pressed his face briefly at his upper arm, his stomach growled loudly. He pulled the blanket closer, cuddled more on Benedicts lap.   
Benedict smiled, looked down to Martin and whispered,   
"Martin."   
There was no answer, only a renewed growl from the stomach. He took his arm from his waist, ran his hand over his head.   
"Honey, let me stand up, then I can make you a soup and toast and even some tea."   
Martin shook his head, the cuddling doing too well, so he could dispense the soup and toast, and above all the hideous stuff that Benedict had called tea. Ben drove his hand again through Martins hair.   
"Come on, hmh? Martin. If you don’t let me stand up, I'll help and I think we both know who wins in your current state. I'll be right back, then you can eat something, drink tea, and then we can cuddle again."   
Martin moaned in resignation, opened his eyes and picked himself up slowly, sitting on his knees now next to Benedict and looked at him with an unpleasant gaze. Ben smiled gently, leaned over and breathed a kiss on his partners lips.   
"Don’t look at me like that, I'll be back in a few minutes."   
He stroked his cheek, stood up and walked to the kitchen, with the used handkerchiefs and Martins empty cup. 

Martin sat, wrapped in the blanket on the sofa, waiting for Benedict's return from the kitchen. He looked a bit around, looked at the TV and watched the upcoming series, while Benedict made the soup and ginger tea for Martin, and a sandwich for himself. Benedict took a bottle of water out of the fridge, carrying two glasses and the bottle into the living room, before he disappeared into the kitchen again. Martin watched him briefly, still wrapped in the blanket like in a cocoon. Benedict arrived shortly afterwards with Martins ginger tea, toast, soup and his sandwich, he put everything on the table in front of Martin and sat back to him. He turned his head to Martin, smiled lovingly, with a small grin.   
"Well...back in a better mood?"   
Martin looked at him and nodded.   
"Hmh, I’m...um thank you for the soup and stuff." He scooted closer to Ben, let his forehead fall on his neck, kissed his shoulder. "Sorry.", murmured the man out of the blanket, against Benedicts shoulder.   
Ben had put an arm around him, pushed him gently in an little embrace.   
"Everything is good. No need to apologize."   
A kiss followed, gently placed on his head. Martin looked up at him with a apologetic gaze and got back a warm, loving smile that made his heart beat faster for a while. 

The ginger tea was incredibly sharp again, but the last two had had the same dosage and they had been helped very well, so he drank it bravely. The soup was followed, tasted good, warmed him and with every spoon and bite of his toast, his hunger disappeard more and more. Benedict took the empty bowl , put it back on the table, leaned back and pulled Martin wordlessly in a loving embrace. His partner cuddled with him, closed his eyes again, not because he was tired at the moment, but because he enjoyed Benedicts nearby. He felt currently better, felt more rested.   
They stayed the rest of the day on the couch, Martin mainly snuggled at Benedict, the caresses which he sent to him, enjoying. For Dinner Benedict cooked a little something and Martin came again in the joy of the ginger tea before going to sleep.   
Benedict had held Martin from behind, lying awake a little longer, while Martin was already asleep with the fall in the mattress.   
In the morning he had quietly and carefully separated from Martin, once again properly covered him in the blanket before he went to the shower and made breakfast. He had used Martins closet after showering. He don’t wanted to make a special trip to his home, since he would’ve either catch a taxi or his driver. Martin would certainly have any T-shirt in the closet what suited him, the shorts and socks would also fit him. He had turned down the heating a little bit in the bedroom and also in the rest of the house. 

Martin had woken up alone, before Benedict was able to bring the breakfast to bed. They ate together in the kitchen, Martin shuffled tired in the shower afterwards, washed, and then picked up fresh things from the bedroom. Benedict had cleaned Martins bedroom, removed the remains of breakfast.   
Martin came to him again.   
The smaller man looked at him, Benedicts Shorts looked a little bit out of his dark jeans, because the T-shirt was slipped a bit upwards. Martin bowed his head - wait a minute – yesterday, Benedict had had a black boxershorts, this one was grey and clearly one of Martins. Even the shirt looked suspiciously like one of his own and these colorful socks on Benedicts feets, also belonged clearly to him. He raised an eyebrow, a smile spread across his face, he came to Ben, stroked his back and said huskily.   
"You seem to have found a few things that fit you, sweetheart."   
Ben turned his head to him, he smiled softly down at him and nodded.   
"I didn’t want to drive home. That’s the luxury with a man as a partner, the underwear is the same."   
He grinned now and Martin laughed.   
"There are also men, who have thongs or something like that as underwear."   
Benedict laughed warm and deep.   
"Jesus, Martin. Please, do not do that. Please never, never wear a thong, please. I’ve sough myself a boyfriend which has similar underwear, I've previously researched."   
Martin laughed enjoyable, hold his belly.  
"Unbelievable, where were you eyes while I wasn’t paying attention?"   
"That's none of your business, love. I had to made me a comprehensive picture of you and that I’ve done."   
He put his hand gently on Martins butt, gently gave it a pinch.   
Martin grinned broadly.   
"Well, we have done the same thing, Benny."   
He put his hand gently on Benedicts bum. Ben's grin was slowly added to a gentle smile, he looked at Martin, who looked better than yesterday, fitter.   
"Okay, love, come on, pull trouser on, we make a short walk. You need some fresh air."   
He kissed gently Martins forehead.   
"Yeah, okay."   
Ben nodded, removed his hand from Martins arse, who even gave him a smile and then disappeared from the kitchen. 

The two men were outside, walked a little round, up to the fields, that were very close to Martins house. They were strolled side by side, with a friendly distance. Home again, Benedict had continued to took care of Martin. He had been there all weekend until Sunday evening. Martin had enjoyed the weekend, he felt much better, the fever was gone, the ear pain and headaches and even the swallow pain was finally gone. The only things, which were still there was the cough and sneezes. He had a slightly rough voice, but felt otherwise quite fit. Benedict had done a great job. Martin sank happily into his bed. It felt great with Ben and he was enjoying every minute they spent together.   
Even Benedict had enjoyed the weekend with Martin, although they hadn’t done much. It was enough to be with him, feel him close, talk to him, see him laughing, smiling, his warm eyes. Just lying on the couch and watch telly or spend Sunday morning in an explicit sexual way in bed and don’t leave it until noon. He had not been infected with Martins flu, despite the gentle caresses and the very intimate activities that had devastated the bed on Sunday morning. So it was a completely successful weekend and he looked forward to their Christmas Eve on the 27th. 

 

J.M.C.


	20. Christmas Eve

The next few days went by, Benedict and Martin were still busy with their own things, but on the day before Christmas Eve, they had a breakfast date at Bens house. Martins cough and runny nose had almost completely disappeared and he also felt good again. He had brought rolls and croissants, they had ate breakfast together and sat now in Benedicts kitchen, the empty plates and cups standing in front of them. 

Their conversation had bring up the subject of relationships and parents. Martin bowed his head.  
"Well, I don’t know how it is with you, my family is asking very often if there is someone, someone I am in love with and I know they’ll ask tomorrow as well. I’m quiet sure about this. To be honest, I wouldn’t like to lie tomorrow. We are together, almost a month, Benny. It would be great, if I could tell the truth, that there is someone I am in love with. But only if you agree, if you don’t want it yet, then I’ll wait and tell them that there isn’t someone. I don’t want it, if anyone of us don’t stand behind it, it’s a big step and I want to do it together, not that one of us begins to tell it his family or his friends, when the other isn’t ready. Do you know what I mean?”   
Ben looked at him gently, had listened to his words and nodded.   
"Yes, you are right, for me it's the same, my parents always ask if there is a nice woman, I also think, that this question is subject on Christmas Eve. I absolutely agree with you. So I would also be ready for it, no longer retain it in the private sector."  
Martin smiled at him fondly.   
"So we both agree that we tell them tomorrow, or over the holidays?"   
"Yes, hun.”, smiled Ben lovingly over to Martin.  
"Perfect.", beaming his friend.

Martin got up slowly, went over to Ben, bent down and took his face in both hands, looked him straight in the eyes.   
"I love you, Benny. I look forward to the next step with you."  
He straddled the last centimeter and gave Benedict a loving kiss, who put a hand fondly on Martins spine and replied his kiss. When their lips broke softly smacking, Benedicts lips muttering softly against Martins,   
"I love you, Martin and I'm really proud of our relationship and I'm looking forward very much on our Christmas."   
Martin enjoyed Ben's lips, which repeatedly roamed about his, as he spoke. He breathed a kiss on Benedict lips again, ran his thumb gently over his cheekbones and then slowly dissolved.   
"I have to go, love. I still have something to do.” He pressed him with his hands gently back into the chair, as he wanted to get up and smiled. "Sit down, I know the way. We phone to tomorrow and I'll see you on the 27th, afternoon. Looking forward to see you."   
Benedict smiled up to him.   
"Yeah, we talk tomorrow."   
He pulled him gently down again, gave him a kiss, before he let him go.   
He heard him, how he put on his shoes and jacket and opened the door.   
"I love you.", shouted Ben into the hall and got a gentle, 'I love you too and hear you tomorrow', back by Martin, before the door was closed.

 

On Christmas Eve, Martin was with his family at his mothers and stepfathers house. Jamie and Tim, two of his brothers, were also there with their own families. His other brother Benedict and his sister Laura, would he see tomorrow and overmorrow. He knew that the topic girlfriend and relationship would be addressed, but amazingly it made him not nervous so far. He felt too comfortable in the relationship with Ben, it felt too right with him, and the fact that he knew his family had no problem with the subject of a same-sex-relationship leaving him peacefully rest in an armchair in the living room. The evening was great until now, they had such a great fun, had had dinner. He was glad to see his family, saw they all not often enough, unfortunately. And he loved Christmas, which had never changed, he had loved it as a child and he loved it as a grown up, nearly 45 year old men, in the same way.   
They had just cleared the remains of food and now they all sat on the large sofa, in the arm chairs or on the floor, he had his wine glass in his hand, dreaming to himself, and decided, that if the subject wouldn’t come up, he would bring it up himselves before they would all go to bed, or home. But as soon as he had made his decision in his head, he heard the question form his mother. 

"Martin? How is it, when do you introduce the future Mrs. Freeman? Can we hope of next year? Seeing you again with a pretty and lovely woman on your side?", smiled she warmly and as the question left her lips, all other finished their talks, as would it have been a keyword.   
Martin sat back a little straighter in his arm chair, scratched with a hand on the back of his head. Okay, now he was nervous as hell and that was an understatement. His heart raced in his chest, the silence in the room and all the pairs of eyes that were now directed only to him were not helping. He breathed, running his hand through his hair and cleared his throat before he began to speak.   
The others were hanging on his lips, but he hadn’t even said anything.   
"Um - so well, yeah - not directly. There is probably no future Mrs. Freeman. All of you don’t need to hope of next year, to see me with a lovely lady."   
He put his wine glass on the table next to him, crossed one leg over the other, coughed again, when he looked into the expectant and partly irritated faces of his family.   
"Well, God, I wasn’t so nervous all day."   
He kneaded his hands, trying to calm down his heart.   
"I wanted to say that it is more likely that there is even a Mr. Freeman. Um, I could also introduce someone next year, but not a pretty woman, but a handsome man and I don’t really need to introduce him to all of you, because y’all know him already."  
His heart was racing, it was out, the faces of his family now all looked at him in surprise. No wonder, until now he had only introduced woman and nobody knew he had had a little experiment with his best friend in his youth.

It was quiet in the room and the Christmas music that ran in the background, came out noxious loud to him now. 

Suddenly they all began to talk and ask questions. He couldn’t understand everything, but most were stunned expressions on the fact that he was in a relationship with a man, positive remarks about it, he saw smiling faces and his stepfather, who brought all to silence again. His mother took the chance and started talking again before another could do it.   
"Honest? Martin! God, I counted on a lot, but absolutely not at something like that. Not that that would be bad. But I believe that you know that we are all absolutely open to it. But I think this kind of news has nobody expected. It never gave the impression that you're interested in men."   
Martin slipped on the chair back and forth, looked around and laughed nervously.   
"Yes, so it’s for me. I've not expected it, too. It is not so, that I had always been interested in men and frankly, I am actually not interested in this direction, with another man. It is just the man who is at my side, that interests me in this way and who has managed to twist my head and make me fall in love with him and I him, luckily."  
His mother wanted to say something, but Jamie made it before his mother could speak, he smiled over at him.   
"Come on, little brother, don’t make it so exciting, who is it?", grinned he at him, happy for Martin that he had found apparently someone with whom he was very happy.   
The others waited for a response from Martin, who leaned back in his chair.   
"It’s Benedict."   
The chatter began again, the reactions were similar to those previously, he raised his hand, brought them all to silence before his stepfather had to do it again, he grinned over to Martin and had just planned the same.   
"Benedict feels the same way, we both hadn’t been previously in a relationship with another man. It simply happened in the passage of time, since we know each other."   
His mother spoke again, she beamed, they all know Benedict well or at least met him briefly at premieres, short meetings and Martins narrative, she liked him very much.   
"Benedict, that's nice. Oh it’s lovely, darling. Since when and how? ", asked she curiously, and with that she was not alone.   
Martin smiled and ran his fingers through his hair.   
"Don't worry, you did not miss much, only since the beginning of December. We had had an appointment for the Christmas market. A long story, I shorten it a little bit. The weather was awful, so we canceled the evening after a round, Ben drove me home, I had been annoyed because the night was over so quickly. Well - I invited him to stay overnight because we wanted to see us for breakfast the next day again. We landed by the fireplace and came to the game Truth or Dare. After a while he asked if I would be in love with someone. I've told the truth, that I would be, but that it is hopeless. Since this man is just too curious, he has changed his skillful question to find out who it is and asked me who I would kiss, if I had the choice and chance to. I think you all can guess my answer.", finished Martin the story.   
His family smiled at him, they nodded and his stepfather said it,   
"You said Benedict."   
Martin smiled and nodded.   
"Yes, and he said that I should do it. Later he said, that he had replied to this question - Martin Freeman.”   
"Aaawwww, that’s sweet”, came it from all the woman in the room.  
Martin smiled and bowed his head.  
"We wanted to enjoy it alone, get to know this new type of relationship, get to know us in this relationship. So we said nothing and I think we don’t need to talk about every detail tonight, you all will see him more often in the future."  
His family nodded and someone answered. "We can understand it."


	21. The Call on Christmas Eve

Of course, the talking about Martin's relationship with Benedict came up repeatedly this evening. However, most were statements, that they were happy for him, even if it would be unfamiliar and that they found, that Benedict and he would be a great couple. His mother, who said repeatedly to Martin that the two must came over for dinner in the next time and Martin, who told her repeatedly that he would ask Benedict.   
Martin was relieved of the reactions and especially about the fact that they actually held back questions. He didn’t wanted disclose all details about his love life tonight. Questions would come also at other times, and then he would be pleased to answer. Today he wouldn’t like it to be the center, that he generally didn’t like so much.   
It was shortly before midnight when they were still sitting together, conversed magnificently and took a picture for Benedict. Martin had settled in the armchair again and sent it Ben with a small message.

 

Benedict also sat together with his family, the relationship with Martin had he bring up himself and they had just stopped talking about it, when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and beamed when he saw Martin's name, he opened the message with the image and bowed his head, beaming even more when he saw Martin at the forefront of his family, his eyes bright, a happy smile spread across his face. Behind him his mother with her husband, Jamie and Tim with their wives and children, all smiled and raised their thumbs. He read Martins message.

_"The reaction of my family on the news that I have fished me Benedict Cumberbatch. I love you, honey. "_ \- Martin

His mother came to him and stroked his hair.   
"That was probably Martin, deducing by your big smile and your bright eyes.", smiled she and Ben nodded up at her.   
"Yes, it’s Martin, a picture of him and his family."   
His mother smiled and filled again his glass of wine while Benedict replied.

Martin sat really comfortable in the armchair, he watched his family and looked at the phone as it vibrated.

_"Do you think they'll let you go for a short call with this guy, you've caught? :-)"_ \- Ben

_"I'll call you in a few minutes. I just pull over my jacket."_ \- Martin

Martin stood up and looked at his stepfather, who was looking at him quizzically.   
"I'm just out there, calling Ben."   
The two smiled at each other before Martin walked into the hallway, pulled his jacket over and walked out.

 

Even Benedict was gone outdoor, had taken his wine and when his cell phone rang, he picked it up gently.   
_"Hey, darling, for a second time today, Merry Christmas."_   
_"Hey, Benny. Yes, Merry Christmas again, love."_  
 _"The photo is great. My family is happy, too, we have talked about it until now."_   
He leaned against the wall, took a sip of red wine. He heard Martin formally beaming when he said,   
_"Then everything's gone well tonight, for both of us. I was completely cool and then my mother suddenly came up with this question, when she would met the future Mrs. Freeman, and then it was over wth my coolness."_   
Ben grinned softly and asked,   
_"What did you replied to her.?" "I said that it is more likely that there would be a Mr. Freeman and they don’t need to wait for a pretty woman at my side, because I have a handsome man."_ Ben smiled, looked at his glass during the call. Martin had sat down on the bench, that stood in front of his parents' house. It was nice to hear Ben's voice.  
" _T_ _hank you for the compliment. Here no one has addressed it, so I did it then. I talked such a rubbish for hours, until my mother cut me off and asked if I wanted to tell them that I have a boyfriend instead of a girlfriend. Yeah, and when I said yes, they were also quite surprised that I am with a man. But they are very happy and I have the order to tell you many greetings and that they like you very much and that they rejoice that it is you who is at my side."_  
 _"That's sweet, say hello from me, when your back inside. It was similar here, in fact they were all just stunned by the fact that there will be no women. They were all just staring at me like I am an animal in the zoo, and then all started to speak at the same time.",_ laughed Martin softly into the phone, when he remembered and Ben agreed with in his laughter.   
_"My mother didn’t let come another person to word. Only when she had carried all their questions and what to say, they were allowed to aksed questions or whatever. And you know how much they like you, especially my father."_   
Martin smiled, snuggled more into the jacket.   
_"Yes, I know he is also great and my family like you very much, too. My mother has already asked for what felt like hundreds of times, when we came over for dinner and said that it would also no problem if it would be last minute, just as soon as we can, but please come over."_   
Ben laughed softly.   
_"I think we can make her wish come true.”_  
 _"I also guess, that we can do that. Benny?"_ , asked he softly.

Ben nodded reflexively and then said as he realized that Martin could not see him,   
_"What's wrong, Martin?"_  
 _"I just wanted to say, that it is nice to know that we came out, it is a nice feeling, it was a great next step in our relationship, that I really enjoy to the fullest. I didn’t have regretted any second, Benny, that I jumped over my shadow and told you that I would prefer to kiss you, that it's you I fell in love with. No single second in this twentyfour days I regretted. There is only one thing I regret in these twentyfour days with you and that is that I haven’t said anything earlier. I had so much fear of breaking anything, what now, despite our relationship is still unchanged - our friendship"_   
Ben's heart contracted pleasant at Martins words, it pounded happy in his chest and gave him a pleasant tingling sensation in the stomach, he was speechless, touched by Martins loving and honest words.   
_"Wow Martin, I stand here now, with my half-full glass of wine, my heart raced very fast and I have butterflies in my stomach. I don’t know what I can say, except that I also haven’t regretted a second with you so far. And I wonder why we have waited so long. Why we were both so afraid of loosing the other. I really wonder why we were afraid that we would destroying our friendship. I love you, too, Martin and I have previously enjoyed with you every single day, every day we spent together, the days when I had to nurse my man and he were a bit grumpy, even the day we didn’t saw each other. I enjoyed it because I knew we would still call or write with one another. I really enjoy it because you...if you're not even there, manage to make me laugh, cheer me up, give me the feeling you were with me."_   
Martin closed his eyes, he leaned back against the bench, swallowing at Benedicts words, couldn’t say a word for a while and murmured then stirred,   
_"Well, I'm the one who is speechless, now."_   
He breathed, swallowed the lump in his throat down, cleared his throat and said softly,   
_"I'm now looking forward even more on our Christmas in a few days, to you, that we’ll spend the days until New Year’s Eve together. "_  
 _"I'm also very happy to spend the last days of the year with you."_

The two men were silent for a while, it was Martin, who broke the silence in a calm, warm voice.   
_"We should probably go inside before we both are on a ‘Wanted-Poster’, hmh, Benny?"_  
 _"You're right, enjoy the day with your family and even ordering greetings. I love you, sweetheart."_   
Martin smiled, was already stand up from the bank and had a hand in his jacket pocket.   
_"Enjoy the days, until you have your little cheeky Hobbit with you again. And tell your family Merry Christmas from me. I love you, Benny. I'm not kissing into the phone, which is a bit too cheesy, but feel yourself kissed. The large Christmas kiss I'll give you then in a few days."_   
Ben grinned broadly and went to the door, which he had left ajar.   
_"Yes, I enjoy some quiet days, and there are still more things than a kiss, we’ve to fetch later."_   
Martin grinned, walked to the door and said,   
_"We get to everything very intensively and extensively. Bye, honey." "_  
 _I agree. Bye, love."_

 

They both hung up and Martin had to ring the bell at the front door, he had the door drawn completely without undergoing the snapper before. His stepfather came to the door, opened it and smiled at him.   
"The chatter in there is so loud you can be glad that I heard the bell."   
Martin grinned and came back inside, he pulled the jacket and shoes off and rubbed his hands over the arms.   
"I would have found a way inside."   
Both men chuckled and went back to the others to the living room, he sat back in his armchair, picked up his wineglass, which someone must have refilled in his absence and put it straight to his lips, when his mother looked at him and asked,   
"Where were you, darling?"   
Martin sipped the wine, sat glass down again and said,   
"I was just outside and calling Ben, I should say best wishes and he wishes you all a Merry Christmas."   
His mother smiled at him.   
"That's so nice of him. Have you asked him for dinner?", she smiled at Martin, who shaked his head.   
"Mom, I’ve got it, that you invited us to dinner, you don’t have to remember me every five minutes. I did not ask him, but I’ve mentioned that you'd be pleased, if we would come to dinner and he said that we could do that. But we have not talked about a special day."   
His mother smiled and raised her forefinger, pointing at him with a big smile.   
"But you come over, before you both throw yourselves next year in the work again."   
Martin nodded.   
"Yes Mom, promise."  
His mother smiled at him satisfied.

 

Benedict had pulled off shoes and jacket and came back into the living room, his father smiled from the couch.   
"And what has Martin said?", asked he curiously, looking at his son, who sat down again.   
"He want to wish you Merry Christmas and he likes you two."   
His mother smiled over at him.   
"That's nice, he’s such a charming boy. I hope you have also aligned our greetings."   
"Of course, he thanked and found it very nice."   
"Wonderful. I really am happy for you. We haven’t seen Martin for quite a while, you two could come for dinner or we come to you or Martin.", suggested she with a smile and Benedict began to laugh.   
"Incredible!"   
His parents looked at him irritated and his father asked,   
"What are you laughing at?"   
"Just on the issue, Martin has just told that his mother has asked him tonight very often, if we both come over for dinner."   
His parents also began to laugh, and his mother said jokingly.   
"We have denied us."

 

An hour later, the house was fairly empty, his brothers, including their families were driven home and wanted to come back the next morning to unpacking gifts. Martins stayed over night in the guest room. The next morning they had breakfast together, the rest of the family came back again and they spent the day together until lunch. The next stop for Martin was his sister, then his brother Benedict and then he would finally spend his first ‘christmas’ with his partner Ben.

 

 

J.M.C.


	22. The second christmas eve

Benedict was driving to Martin, he had just left behind the sign Potters Bar, drove through the village, up to Martin's house and parked there. The last two days he had spent with his family, he had phoned with Martin, reserved two tickets for Star Wars and previously picked up the ticktes in London, so they did not have to stand in the queue later, he had leave Martin the restaurant selection.   
He turned off the engine, unbuckled himself and climbed out of the car, from the backseat he took his bag, slammed the car door and locked it. He walked through Martins garden to the front door and rang the bell. He heard Martin come closer and soon the door was opened by a man in a dark blue knitted sweater, jeans and stubble. His eyes sparkled at him and the homeowner beamed back.   
"Benny!" His whole attitude, charisma and pitch showed Ben how much Martin was happy to see him. 

Martin stepped aside to let him in, closed the door and then wrapped his arms gently around his neck. Ben let go of his pocket, which fell with a thud on the floor. He put his arms around Martin.  
"Hey, love."  
Martin looked up to Ben, his eyes were bright.  
"Nice to have you here."  
He ran his hands, from behind, through Benedicts hair and gently squeezed his head down slightly, stretched his own head a little upwards and cupped Benedicts lips with his own. Benedicts hands moved from Martins back to the butt, pushing Martin even more against his body. He returned the kiss, his lips moved gently over Martins, who sighed. He ran his tongue over Martins lips, and as Martin opend his lips, their tongues swept smoothly over each other. Benedicts hands pressed Martin still against his boday. Martins hands drove slowly through Benedicts hair during the kiss. Before they slowly broke away from each other, Martin bite gently in Benedicts lower lip, breathed him a tender kiss on the lips and then looked up to him.   
"I've missed you the last few days."   
Ben smiled, nodded, stroked again Martins butt, squeezed gently with one hand.   
"I’ve missed you too."   
He pulled away slowly and smiled as he peeled off his jacket, hung it and took off the shoes.   
"I've got resevered us a table at a new italian restaurant, which is also close to the cinema.", said Martin.   
"Great, I've already picked up the tickets for the movie, then we mustn’t stand in the queue."   
Martin nodded and smiled at him.   
"Living room? Until we go to the cinema?"   
"Living room sounds good."   
"I've already made us tea. The one, you've already pre-ordered earlier in your message.", smirked Martin and went to the the living room.   
"Thank you, I'll be right with you, I just bring up my bag." 

While Martin went into the living room, where the fireplace was on, the Christmas tree lit up and music ran in the backround, Benedict carried his bag up. He opened it, pulled out the gift, which lay on top of the clothes and carried it back down to Martin into the living room. He was sitting on the sofa, two cups stand in front of him on the coffee table. Benedict came to him and sat down beside him, the gift was wrapped up on his lap.   
"We have not talked about presents, but I thought, I’ll just get you a trifle. Merry Christmas Martin.", smiled Ben at his partner and handed him the gift, who bowed his head with a smile.   
"Thanks, Benny, I have a little something for you too, just a moment, love."   
He got up, put his gift carefully on the table and went to the Christmas tree, bent down and gathered up the gift, what was still there and came back to Benedict. He sat down next to him and handed it to him.   
"Merry Christmas, Benny."   
Ben smiled, accepted it and said softly,   
"Thank you, Martin."   
He began to open it, and as the paper was removed, he held the new book of his favorite author in his hand. He beamed over to Martin, who smiled gently.   
"I hope that you haven’t already bought it yourself."   
Ben shook his head.   
"No, I have not bought it myself, thank you, Martin."   
He leaned over, gave Martin a loving kiss. He loved books, liked it to read, especially this author and had in fact every time he flew, excess baggage due, to too many books and clothes. He breathed Martin a second kiss on the lips.   
"A great gift."   
Martin smiled softly, took his own gift and said affectionately,   
"My pleasure."   
He beamed at him and then at his gift, the form of the gift, let him already guess what it was, his eyes shone even more.   
"You know what it is.", chuckled Ben softly.   
Martin turned his head to him and nodded with shining eyes.   
"There is hardly any other option, large, rectangular and thin." 

He opened it and held as expected a soul record in his hand, he looked at it and stroked gently over the cover. His gaze lifted again and he beamed to Ben, his eyes shone even brighter. It was a rarity and also one of the records that Martin actually not possessed in his huge record collection.   
"Wow, Benny, you know what you have given me here?"   
Ben smiled softly, his knowledge about soul music wasn’t big, generally less with records, but he had researched for a while and knew the record, which he had bought was rare.   
"I know at least that it was not often produced.", smiled he lovingly.   
"Yes, that's right. How did you know I haven’t it already?"   
He had put his gift on his lap, Ben looked at him with warm, blue eyes.   
"I have looked through your huge collection when you were sick and slept for a while on the sofa. The record here had a very noticeable cover, I was sure that I had not seen it while looking through."   
"Now I know why I woke up alone on the sofa. Thank you, this gift is perfect."

He put the record carefully on the table, leaned over to Ben, took his face in both hands and gave him a tender kiss after kiss. Ben began to smile, replied every kiss. He put the book while kissing, blind on the table. His legs hung still partially off the sofa. Martin lay a hand on his cheek, he knelt between his legs, bent over him and kissed Benedict with little kisses, quickly but lovingly on the lips until they both began to laugh.   
Martin even gave him a kiss on the nose and then sat down on his knees. Benedict put his hand on his stomach, looked up, laughed at Martin. Their eyes met.   
"What was that?", Ben asked laughing and Martin responded with a laughing, warm voice.   
"I've give you a couple of kisses that we've missed in the last few days and a few were intended as a thank you...and then I was lost."   
Ben picked himself up, laughing and stroking Martins thigh, he grinned widely at him and leaned his forehead against Martins. Martins laugh had become a grin, he closed his eyes when he felt Benedicts forehead against his. He heard his deep murmur.   
"Later we will make up for the other lost kisses."   
He kissed Martins nose, his hand drove over his thigh, up to his waist and slowly under the sweater. He cupped Martins lips with a tender kiss, ran his fingers under the t-shirt, that Martin wore under the knit sweater, off his jeans and ran his hand now over Martins bare skin. Martin purred, drove with his hands over Benedicts back. They deepened the kiss again, as before, at the door. Martins hand went up to Benedicts neck, the other hand drove his back down again, slightly in his jeans on the butt. Benedicts hand made his way further under Martins sweater and t-shirt. Their kiss was passionate and intimate, Martin purred several times in the kiss, enjoyed Benedicts lips and his tongue. They broke the kiss slowly. 

Martins hand pushed further into the jeans, on Benedicts buttocks, the other drove his chest down, over the belly, slighty over the crotch, along a part of his thigh, affectionate the way back, before the hand drove again with pressure over Benedicts crotch and then innocently on his hip. Benedict groaned, felt Martins gentle bite on his lower lip and heard his murmur,   
"Tonight you’ll not sleep. Tonight we’ll do the adult things, which we’ve missed the last few days."   
He pressed him a kiss on the lips and then pulled his hand away from Benedicts jeans, he smiled cheekily and put his hands on Benedicts shoulders, when he came closer. He pushed him back into position, his eyes sparkled natural. He released one hand, grabbed one of the tea cups on the table and held it out to Ben.   
"Drink your tea, love, you wanted so much before it gets cold."   
Ben looked at him piteously, twisted his mouth and took the cup.   
"This is torture, Martin! Absolute torture!"   
Martin grinned cheekily, took his cup and leaned comfortably back against the sofa, stroked again with his free hand over Benedicts crotch and said innocently,   
"I don’t know what you're talking about, Benny."   
Ben closed his eyes when he felt Martins hand again, his throat escaped another groan.   
"You are a terrible man."   
Martin grinned sweetly over the rim of his cup.   
"Am I? I’m just caressing you, I'm totally loving and innocent. You have the dirty thoughts."   
His free hand stroked Benedicts thigh upwards, again with pressure over his crotch. Ben put his hand on Martins, gently squeezed it down, more to his slowly increasing desire, he sighed and muttered,   
"You’re the last person, who is innocent, you want to make me really hot and then tell me that we have to go." 

Martin smiled and freed himself from Benedict's hand, he slid his hand over Benedicts sweater, up until his chest, then leaned over, breathed him a kiss on the ear and whispered into it.   
"We move on later, and then I’ll make you really hot and hard."  
Martin pressed him a kiss on the ear and sat back properly. Ben had closed his eyes, opened them again.   
"I've said it before, that’s torture! You also would going mad, if I would..."   
He let the sentence unfinished and smiled, waved his hand towards Martins lap, who had raised his eyebrow and then grinned when he saw Benedict's hand, he struck his hand away before he could press his crotch. He laughed and said,   
"Don’t do that, Benny...otherwise I can’t guarantee anything."   
Ben grinned widely at him.   
"Oh? I'm probably not the only one who can't wait."   
He brought his hand closer again and Martin waved with his hand around, laughed and pushed repeatedly Bens hand away.   
"Jesus, yes. So keep your fingers from me, otherwise you can forget the film and the food, because then I’m no longer able to let my fingers from you."   
He waved with his hand, hit Ben repeatedly, thereby hit Bens cup, which spilled tea on their clothes. Ben laughed and shook his head.   
"You're incredible Martin."   
He wiped his hand off on his sweater.   
"It’s just tea.", grinned Martin. 

The pair sitting on the couch, drinking tea, talking about the last days, telling each other again in peace, how their families had reacted. They toyed with the idea, to have dinner with Martins family even before the new year was coming, but hadn’t decided for a special day.  
They set out slowly on the way back to London, this time however with a taxi. The cinema was pretty well attended and Martin was glad that they did not had to wait in the queue. They were already repeatedly asked by fans in the foyer for photos and autographs, chatted briefly with a few people, took pictures, signed autographs, before they finally sat in their cinema chairs.   
Ben had reserved places for them in the last row, so they are not sitting at least in the middle of the crowd and were able to enjoy the movie. Ben liked it to watched the film again with Martin, enjoyed it now even more than at the premiere, Martin had simply been missed. Martin caught himself, repeatedly, how he almost put his hand on Benedict's thigh, already in the foyer he had himself caught several times, as he wanted to take Benedicts hand in his own. From time to time he had been so close, that he had touched Bens hand slightly.   
He loved the film and when they left the theater and walked to the restaurant, he was annoyed that he had not been at the premiere.  
The way to the restaurant and the dinner itself was very quiet. One could fade away the evening comfortably, chat in peace and enjoy the food. What really was very good and they had both agreed that they would have dinner here more often. Not only because of the food, the ambience was very nice.   
It was nearly 11pm when the two left the restaurant again, stopped a taxi and they were heading back to Potters Bar. Benedict paid the taxi driver while Martin already got out and waited for him. The driver wished a nice evening and drove off again.   
Ben smiled at Martin, pressed briefly his shoulder and made his way to Martins doorstep. Martin followed him, fumbled the keys out of his pocket, put it into the lock and turned the key.


	23. Heat

The door wasn’t quite open as Benedict pushed him in, kicked the door shut behind him, turned to Martin, took his face in both hands and clasped hungry Martins lips. He pressed him against the wall, kissed him passionately, heard the key fall to the ground. Martins hands on the collar of his jacket, pulled him closer and replied the kiss equally passionate. He felt Martins hands, which drove nervously in his hair, tightly clutched it. He tasted the wine on Martin's lips and tongue, pressed him at the wall, moaned briefly into the kiss and had to solve it, because he was out of breathe.  
Martin opened his eyes, his pupils were dilated, glowed with relish, he urged Ben to the door, pushed him against it, cupped his lips again passionately with those of Ben, who stroked Martins jacket, that was – thank goodness – already open, from his shoulders until it fell to the keys on the floor. He kissed with relish, slipped the shoes off his feet. Martin did the same, was glad that he had put on shoes, from which he could slip out easily. He felt Benedicts knee pressed against his rising erection, he bit him softly on the lips, broke the kiss and moaned with pleasure. He wanted more, more of Ben than what they had shared the last few weeks.   
Ben looked at him, his eyes just as pleasurable as Martins. His hands went to Martins arse, pushed him more to his knee, which Martin still elicited a groan. The hands moved under Benedicts jacket at the shoulders, brushed it off him. Ben broke his knee, pressed him with his body toward the stairs, his hands traveling under the sweater, pushed him up quickly and he ended up on the ground before Martin climbed up backwards the first step. 

He kissed Ben hungry, fumbled with his hands at Benedicts belt and trouser button, brushed his trousers as far down until it slipped off alone and landed on the stairs. Benedict bite Martin on his lower lip and moaned deeply into the kiss when he felt Martin's hand on his erection. Martins hand rubbed over the shorts, Ben broke the kiss and elicit pleasurable sounds. Martins pants were definitely become too tight, he grabbed with his free hand to Benedicts, conducted them to his belt. Benedict opened Martins pants, pushing them down, so the next item was on the stairs. Martin closed his eyes, sighed as his throbbing erection was free and groaned loudly as Benedicts hand vanished in his shorts. He was already so hot that he could easily get started here on the stairs.   
Ben urged him further with his body, massaging gently Martins erection, who drove his hand under Bens sweater and swept him up. Benedict had to solve the hand from Martin, who gave a disappointed sigh and pulled the sweater over Benedicts head. He landed shortly before the end of the stairs to the stage. Martin made the final step with Ben, pulled at his shirt and said in an impatient voice,   
"Why did you wear a fucking t-shirt under your sweater?"   
Benedict raised his arms, the shirt sailed to the ground in front of the stairs.   
"You wear one, too, you prat!"   
"That's your part!"   
He stroked his hands over Benedicts naked chest and belly, over his erection, on the buttocks, the back up again and in his hair. Ben groaned, grabbed the top of Martin's t-shirt, shoving it up over Martins head, who buried his hands again in Benedicts soft hair. The shirt landed in front of the bedroom door and both men entered it only dressed in socks and underwear. Ben urged Martin through the room and stopped right before the bed, put his hands again on Martins cheeks, cupped his already, from kissing, swollen lips and involved him in another intense and passionate kiss. He fiddled his socks off his feet, the same Martin was doing while they were kissing each other senseless. 

Benedicts hands drove over Martins naked body to the seam of his boxers and slid them down. He felt Martins hands on his back, their tongues dancing wildly with each other. He pushed Martin to the bed, knelt over him, leaning his left hand next to Martins head, the other hand went down Martins belly and cupped Martins erection, his hand drove very slowly up and down, with a teasing lightly pressure.   
Martins hands had wandered on Benedicts arse and his partners hand on his pounding and twisting erection let him broke the kiss. Martin gasp, then groaned loudly Benedicts name, his hips thrust upward again, his hands pinched Benedicts bum.   
"God, it’s so good."   
His voice was hoarse, his hands pushed Benedicts shorts down, released his hard erection. He turned around with Ben on the side, drove his hand over Benedicts butt, over the hips, then in his crotch, cupped his erection, stroked a few times up and down, very slowly and with a lightly pressure, his thumb slid every time over the tip. Ben pressed Martin closer to him, groaned several times in succession Martins name, before his hand caressed to Martins chest and the thumb drove repeatedly over Martins nipples.   
"Benny, more, more...this time so much more, please...I want to feel more of you than just your hands, your lips and tongue.", groaned Martin hoarsly.  
Benedict's lips kissed his, hungry, lovingly. He knew what Martin meant by 'more' and he wanted it, too, wanted to feel so much more of Martin.   
"Who?", he breathed against Martins lips.

Even Martins movements had become gentle, his hand grabbed Benedicts, who still cupped his erection. Benedict had asked for the top and bottom part and he would answer the question. He raised Benedicts hand to put it on his hip. His hand gently lay on Benedicts, pushing Bens hand gently to his buttocks, took his own hand away and put it on Benedicts cheek. He looked at him, with dilated pupils and an enjoyable gaze, because of Bens hand on his buttocks.  
His partner smiled, nodded slightly.   
"I understand."   
He ran his hand gently over Martins buttocks, massaging gently, stroked with a finger between his buttocks and Martin let out an aroused moan.   
"Martin, please tell me that you have made provision for it."   
Martin had closed his eyes with relish, he wanted it so much, now, here, with Ben. He wanted to try it, confided Ben and knew he would take care of him and that it will be breathtaking. He snuggled closer to him and whispered,   
"In the bedside table, love."   
He felt Benedicts finger, that stroked gently between his buttocks and softly over his opening. The feeling was new, a bit strange, but Benedict's kisses, which he distributed on Martins neck, the gentle brushing of his finger, mades it quickly incredibly enjoyable. He groaned from Benedicts caressing, the kisses and the thought of how it would be to feel him inside. He was excited, positively excited, his body tingled everywhere.   
"Love, please. More." he sighed delightfully. 

Ben was now between his legs, kissed his chest and stretched his arm to bedside drawer. He looked at Ben, the little light from the bedside lamp was just right. Ben took the lube out, laid it beside their bodys on the bed, looking down at Martin and smiled. He was also excited, his heart was racing fast, he kissed his way from Martins lips lovingly down to his neck, above the collarbone, chest and belly. His hand followed the path, stroked Martins inner thigh, with the other he steadied himself. Martin angled his legs slightly, sighed, purred and groaned with every kiss from Ben on his bare skin, goosebumps spread over his body. He felt Benedicts finger over the tip of his erection, caressing his length down to his testicles and his opening. Martin groaned, reached into Benedicts hair. The deep enjoyable groan, that Ben was hearing turned him on even more.   
He loved Martins voice, even when he was just talking, but during their sex, that voice became hot as hell. Ben grabbed the lubricant, opened it, gave something into his hand, looked at Martin questioningly and got a loving and trusting smile and a nod back. He distributed the lube on his finger, stroked gently over Martins entrance and let his finger slide inside, slowly and carefully.  
Martin closed his eyes, breathed. It was not that he was totally tense, but the feeling was new, he had to get used to it. Benedicts kisses on his belly let him relax a bit more, so he gave Ben the signal to go on. His partner let his finger gently glide deeper, caress him. Slowly in and out. Martin let his eyes closed, groaned at the sensation.   
"Fuck, that feels really good."   
Ben smiled, kissed again Martins belly and his finger slipped in and out, opened Martin, lovely. 

He enjoyed Martins groans, it made him even more secure. He pressed a kiss to Martins hip, let the finger slide out, took again something from the lube and breathed,   
"I love you, Martin."   
Martin sighed, opened his eyes, looked at Ben and said,   
"I love you too, Benny, I really do. Please, please go on with it, that's fucking great."   
Ben smiled, purred when Martins fingers ran through his hair. He distributed the lube again and pressed gently two fingers into Martin.   
Again a deep breath, a groan, Martins hand clawing at his hair, Benedicts kisses on Martins chest. He relaxed under Benedicts soft kisses, ran his hand again through the hair and plead, that he moved his fingers, when he had accustomed at the feeling.   
Benedict let the two fingers slide in and out gently, slowly, scissoring him, opening him and reached Martins prostate. Martins hand clawed back in Benedicts hair, he groaned loudly.   
"Again, Benny. Jesus, please, do that again."   
He felt Benedicts fingers reach that point again, moaned even louder and began to move his hip in the rhythm with Benedicts tender thrusts. Bens finger were hitting the spot every time now, with two fingers, then with three. The feeling was just indescribable good. Martins moans and groans, the purrs and sighs let Benedict get even harder, let him be safe, it relaxed him that Martin enjoyed it so much and it turned him on immensely. Martin's eyes were closed, one hand in Benedicts hair, the other clutching the sheets. He was ready, he wanted to feel Ben, feel his cock and enjoy this feeling at the highest level.   
"Benny. Please. More. Now!", pleaded he immensely aroused.   
He felt Benedicts hot lips on his body, the distributed kisses, his finger slipped out again, his body tingled. He really couldn’t wait to have Benedict as close as it was possible, he was relaxed, even though his heart was racing and he knew what came now, would feel completely different.   
Benedict smiled up, pressed his hip, he distributed new lube on his own erection, he could even hardly wait for the next step, wanted finally experience this sort of sex with Martin. 

Benedict was between Martins legs, they looked at each other. Martin's eyes reflected pleasure, warmth and absolute confidence. Ben steadied himself with one hand and caressed Martins cheek with the other one. He pushed his arm under Martins arm, lay his hand on his shoulder blade, kissed Martins lips once, then his neck and pressed gently his tip into Martins entrance.   
Martin stretched his neck, gave Ben more space to kiss him there. He inhaled the air sharply when he felt Ben.   
Benedicts kisses, gnawing on his neck, let him relex easily. Benedicts erection slid slowly in, completely.   
Martin groaned, together with Ben, a hand resting on Benedicts head, the other on his lower back.   
"Wait. Ben, wow...give me a minute.", he gasped   
Ben broke his teeth on Martins neck, distributed small gentle kisses.   
"Am I hurt you?”, he asked lovingly between his soft kisses.  
"No, yes...it's just unfamiliar. Please keep doing this on my neck, it’s really nice. I love it. I'll give you a sign when I’m ready."  
Ben nodded with a gentle glance, kissed again Martins neck, licked gently, sucking, and biting gently. He enjoyed the feeling of Martins arse, it was tight and hot and that just made it incredibly arousing. He felt how Martin relaxed more and more, his legs were trembling, he purred with each kiss, moaned with each bite, his hand on his buttocks pushed him closer, gave the signal to move on. 

They both groaned loudly when Benedict moved gently and slowly, Martin blinked, pressed Benedict at the back closer to his neck, stretched his head, so Benedicts lips has more place for kissing him. Martins hips find the rhythm with Ben.   
"Martin! Jesus, that's pretty damn good."   
There was a long groan from Ben and a loudly moan from Martin.   
"God. More. Benny, please more.", begged he and pressed his partners butt.   
He wrapped his legs around him, felt that Benedicts thrusts became deeper and more intensive and again his partner hit his prostate, with each new thrust. He groaned loudly, put his head back and pressed it into the pillow, squeezed with his hand Benedicts bum and the other continued stroking his lovers hair.   
It was more than just nice to have Ben so close to him, each of his thrusts, the feeling was breathtaking, let him groan again and again. That would be by far the best sex he had ever had. He find the new intense and deep, fast rhythm with Ben, heard his moans, which were mixed with his own.  
Benedicts hand ran down to his upper body, took Martins throbbing erection in his hand, the precum on its tip. He pumped slow up and down, squeezed gently Martins testicals.  
Martin could barely hold back, felt like the orgasm was just a second away.  
"Not! Fuck. Ben. Take your hand away. One more stroke and I’m coming. We can do it even without your hand. Please Ben, I would like to enjoy it a little bit longer, just a little bit."   
Ben smiled, ran his hand up again under Martins arm, put his hand on his shoulder blade, groaned and kissed Martins neck upwards, cupped his lips, hungry, briefly.   
"I can’t hold it back any longer Martin. Jesus, it’s too good, just too good.  
His movements had become slightly faster, more intense. Martin drove his hand in Ben's hair, his fingers dug there firmly, the other in his buttocks, he moved his hips with the same pace. He couldn’t, just couldn’t hold back any longer. Benedict felt like everything went tighter around his own erection. He felt how Martin came between their bodies, heard his loud groan. It was all Ben needed to reach his climax. He closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation of his orgasm and moaned lustfully and deep Martins name. 

Martins legs slipped on the sheet, shaking, his arms wrapped around Benedict, held him gently. He was out of breath, sweating, enjoying the feeling of the slowly decaying orgasm, Benedicts weight on him. Ben snuggled up to him, slid gently and lowly out of Martin. He, too, was out of breath, sweating and he snuggled with full weight on Martin.   
"That was…breathtaking and the best sex I ever had.", whispered Ben into Martin's neck, blew a kiss on it.   
"I can only return these words, the feeling was unbelievable...it was new and exciting, tomorrow my arse will hurt and that’s your fault."   
Ben smiled and raised his head, looked at the gently smiling face of Martin.   
"I'm happy that this is my fault, love."   
Martin smiled, raised his head from the pillow and clasped Benedicts lips with his, fell back with him into the pillow. His fingers traced Bens back, down, then slowly up again.


	24. In the shower

Their racing hearts had calmed down slowly, Benedict was still lying between Martins spreaded legs, enjoyed Martins fingers, that swept his back slowly up and down and drove sometimes over his neck. Benedict raised his head slowly, looked at Martin, his eyes shone lovingly down at him.   
"Are you all right?", asked he softly, blew a kiss on Martins forehead.   
"Everything is good, better than good. I would have liked to do this in the afternoon."  
Benedict smiled.   
"You know, you could have do this, rather than to bother me with your torture."   
Martin grinned widely, before he smiled softly.   
"But I’ve wanted this with you, sex, not just a handjob or blowjob. And for that, we would’ve needed more time than the one that was available. I really love your hands, lips, tongue and teeth on me, but they would’ve turned me on even more. And I wanted to spend our christmas the way we have."  
"I understand, Martin." He kissed his lips once. "Retake necessary?"   
"Absolutely, as I said, I've never had better sex in my whole live. It was fantastic, even if it was very unfamiliar and hurt briefly, but when you have made sure that I relax properly, it was just incredibly arousing. "  
He looked up, smiling to Benedict, who answered him.   
"Sounds great.", breathed Ben a kiss on Martins ear and whispered, "Many retakes with role reversal."   
Martin ran his hand softly through Bens hair, stroked once and put his hand to his cheek.   
"Role reversal sounds great, too." 

They looked at each other gently, Martins thumb stroked Benedict's cheek, then gently over his lips. Benedict leaned down slowly, closing with every centimeter his eyes a little bit more. Even Martin closed his eyes slowly, his hand resting on Benedicts cheek, their lips met for a tender kiss. They both sighed, let their lips moving very gently on those of the other. They opened their lips softly after a few moments, let their tongues dancing lovingly with each other. Benedicts hand stroked in Martins hair, fingers brushed gently through the individual strands of hair, his tongue explored lovingly the so familiar tongue of Martin. A renewed sigh of Martin, a hand, that stroked Benedicts back slowly down. Martin could have continued to kiss him forever, but his lungs were unfortunately disagree, they wanted air. He broke the kiss gently, opened his eyes and looked into Bens, which now shone more blue than green. He loved this change in his eyes. Benedict smiled, stroked through Martins hair strands.   
"Have a shower? We two? "   
"You do not have to ask. Taking a shower with you, will always be a 'yes'."  
Ben smiled and pressed a kiss on Martins forehead, he dissolved completely from him, sat up slowly and Martin followed him. They both stood up, Benedicts hair was completely disheveled, stood in all directions, because of Martins stroking and clawing during sex. Martin smiled, walked out of the bedroom, stepped on his shirt, which was lying at the door and glanced toward the stairs.   
"We were in a hurry.", said Ben, who was also grinning to the stairs, where some of their clothes were distributed.   
"I was so hot for you, I could have done it on the stairs." said Martin smilingly, took Benedicts hand and pulled him into the bathroom "We take care of the things tomorrow." 

Ben nodded, followed Martin into the bathroom, the shower was turned on, they both waited a moment and then stood under the warm water. Benedict stood behind Martin in the shower, hugged him gently. The water rained down, Martin clung to Ben, closed his eyes. Benedict rubbed gently over Martins belly, his chest, distributed kisses on Martins shoulder. Martin purred, enjoyed Benedicts fondness and squeezed his butt more at Benedicts crotch. Benedict wrapped his arms again around him, wandered with his lips from Martins shoulder to his neck, up to his ear, gave it tender kisses. Martin shook pleasantly, he felt Benedicts increasing erection, his belly tingled, his heart was racing. He ran his finger over Benedicts arms, heard Benedicts deep voice, it was a whisper in his ear,   
"Retake? Here and now?"  
Now, not only his stomach tingled, but also his whole body, his heart was racing even more, he pressed his butt even more to Ben.   
"God, yes!", groaned Martin, felt Benedicts hand, that drove down, over his belly to his aleady existing erection.

Benedict slide his thumb slowly over Martins tip, stroked his whole length down with agonizing slowness. Martin groaned again, leaned his head back to Ben's shoulder. He moved his hips, heard Benedicts moan in his ear, felt his hand, which was still stroking under pressure and agonizing slowness. It drove him almost to madness. His legs were shaking, the knees were soft, his head was turned off. The only thing he was hearing were Benedicts moans and groans, which were mixed with his own. He pressed his hand to the tiles, his upper body was bend over. He felt Ben's erection against his buttocks. The water roared down on them, it was the only sound that could be heard except the loud groan of the two men. 

He struck with his flat hand against the tiles and groaned loudly when he felt how Ben slid into him slowly. Benedicts moans aroused him even more. Ben didn’t move yet, gave Martin some time, however, his hand on his erection moved on, elicited more sighs from Martin.  
"Benny.", moaned he lustfully, pressed the hand more to the tiles, moving his hips slowly, Benedict moved slowly, holding his upper body gently with his arm. Martins free arm was looped back to Benedicts neck.   
"Benny, fuck, Benny...more, more, please.", pleaded he hoarsly.  
They found a rhythm, that was intense, deep and fast. Ben groaned deep, his hand moved in the same rhythm back and forth, with pressure again briefly about Martins tip, the other thumb brushed with pressure at the same time about Martins left nipple.   
"Martin!", groaned he impatient and began to nibble at Martins ear, his neck down, biting him gently on the shoulder.   
"Jesus...Ben!".   
Martin groaned when Benedicts thrusts became deeper and his cock again hit this sensitive spot, intensively and quickly. Benedict enjoyed this tight feeling and Martins lustful moans. He kept with Martin this rhythm, thrust repeatedly deep and intense into him, caressed Martins erection and nipple in the same rhythm by hand and thumb.  
The two groaned and moaned together loudly, again and again. Martin felt that his legs were trembling, they would give in, in a few moments. He could barely hold back his orgasm, too good was the feeling of Benedicts hand, the thumb on his tip, the thumb on his nipple, his thrusts, who met his prostate repeatedly. He pressed his hand further against the tiles, made a fist and bit his lower lip. 

Benedict tried to hold back, but it wasn’t possible. The moans of Martin, this rhythm, his cock in his hands, his tight arse, turned him on too much. He put his head back, moaning with deep pleasure Martins name and came. Martin felt Benedicts orgasm, it was too much, his coming, the deep groans, his hand, the thumbs, this fast, intense rhythm and any thrust, which hit that delicate, fantastic point. He pressed himself against Ben, the flat hand punched the tiles, sought for grip, because the legs were shaking, the knees were too soft. He reached his climax, came and moaned repeatedly Benedicts name.  
"Benny, Benedict...fuck, Ben."   
The rhythm became slower, Ben's hand stroked gently over Martins cock to his belly, to his chest, held him. Their movements had stopped, Ben slipped out of him. Martins hand trembled, his legs also, they would give in at any moment.   
"Hold me.", muttered he with a shaking voice.   
Ben hugged him deeply, lovingly, he held him close. Martins hand slipped from his neck, he put his hand on Benedict's arms and let the hand, which braced against the wall fall down. He had closed his eyes, felt Benedicts rapid heartbeat, heard his loud breathing, he let himself sink into his hug, tried to reassure his own heart and to get his breath back. The water pelted on them, obliterated all traces. Benedicts lips kissed gently Martins cheek and he murmured breathlessly,   
"Great retake. Jesus, Martin, it's fantastic to share this with you."   
He raised his second hand, placed it on Benedicts arms, took a deep breath and smiled too.   
"Do you think I can let you go, love?"   
Martin nodded slowly, felt again safe on his legs. Ben broke the embrace and Martin turned around, turned off the water and looked up to Ben.   
"Hey, sweetheart.", whispered Benedict.  
His hand went to Martins cheek.   
"What do you think of bed, cuddling and sleeping?"   
Martin smiled, had only to stretch a bit, because Ben contrary came to him already and kissed him once lovingly, only to murmur against his lips,   
"That would be great."

They both left the shower and took a towel. Benedict reached a hand out to Martin.   
"Give it to me, love.", smiled Ben and took the towel from Martin, he hung both towels at the towel rail.  
"Bed now, Benny. I just want to cuddle and sleep.", yawned Martin, was exhausted and just looked forward to his cozy bed and a sleepy cuddle with his partner.   
Ben smiled and went to the bedroom, Martin followed him, fished from the top step Benedicts t-hirt and then followed him into the bedroom.   
Ben was already in bed, lay on his side under the blanket and looked smilingly at Martin, who took his own shorts and put it on again. The t-shirt from Ben had he placed on the bed, he took it in his hand again and pulled it over his head.   
Ben bowed his head.   
"Ah, now we also exchange clothes in the other direction." He held out his arms. "Come on, Martin."   
The older man smiled at him, the shirt smelled like Ben, that’s why Martin had took it, he crawled into the bed to Benedict under the covers. He slid one leg between those of Benedicts, smiled at him and blew him a kiss on the lips.   
"Here I am."   
He beamed and put an arm around Benedict's hips, pressed his body against him, felt Ben's arm wrapped around his waist, the hand that went under the t-shirt and lay down on Martin's back. He pressed his face slightly in Benedicts chest. Ben lay his chin on Martins head.   
"Sleep well, Ben…, love you."   
He kissed his sternum, closed his eyes.   
"I love you too. Good night, Martin."


	25. Accepting the dinner

Hello :-)

I would be nice, if some of you would give me feedback, about the story. :-)

Thanks for that, and also thanks for reading.

Enjoy it.

J.

 

During the night, Benedict had turned to the other side and was now held by Martins arm. Martin had placed his left leg over Benedicts hip, his arm around his stomach, his hand was on his chest. He was slow-growing, lazily opened his eyes and looked at Benedicts bare back. He breathed deeply in and out, yawned briefly and slipped slightly higher, to bury his face in Benedicts hair. He closed his eyes, smelled his scent and sighed. Benedict moved his arm and the fingers began to stroke Martins arm and his hand. A sigh escaped Martin, he reached his arm out, opened his hand. Benedict ran his fingertips over the inside of the arm and Martins palm, what mades Martin purr. Benedicts fingertips elicited a pleasant tingling sensation on his hand and his arm. He knew he was awake but he didn’t say anything, he wanted to just enjoy this.   
Benedict had his eyes closed, but was already awake, he caressed Martins palm with the fingertips, before his partner turned his hand to enjoy more caresses on the back of his hand and arm. Benedict smiled and slowly opened his eyes, let his fingertips run over Martins hand back and the arm, until he hooked his hand with that of Martin.   
"Morning, old man.", said Benedict in a sleepy voice and got from Martin only a hum. He gently squeezed Martins hand.   
"Are you turning arond to the old man and give him a good morning kiss?", asked Martin gently.   
Ben unclamped his hand and turned slowly to face him. He looked in a crumpled face with tired blue eyes, Martins hair was disheveled, on the lips a smile. He put his hand on Martin's bearded cheek, leaned over to him and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips, replaced his lips and felt shortly after that Martins lips on his own. They parted with a faint smacking. Benedict lay down on his stomach, his arms folded under his head, he looked smilingly at Martin.  
"Good morning, Benny.", murmured Martin to him.   
He remained lying on the side, drove over Benedicts bare back and kissed Benedicts upper arm.   
"Did you sleep well?", asked Benedict and sank into Martins blue eyes, which looked at him gently.   
"Yes, incredibly well...but my butt hurts.", chuckled he softly now and then continued to talk. "But it's not so bad, the sex tonight was stunning, so I can live with that. Have you slept well, love?"   
Ben smiled widely at him. "Umm, I slept very well but my butt doesn’t hurt."   
Martin grinned at him. "We'll talk again when we change roles."   
His partner now grinned at him and nodded.  
"Can’t wait to talk about it."   
Martin kissed grinningly his arm again, ran his nose over it, stroking Benedicts back.

Ben was slightly dozed off, enjoying Martins pat on his back and the kisses he distributed from time to time. Eventually he heard the voice he loved so much.   
"Benny?"   
He opened his eyes again slightly.   
"Umm?"   
"Are we going today to the dinner? I think it would be good if we can do it before New Years Eve, then we’ve both much to do and are both traveling a lot for shooting."   
Ben looked at him, nodded again on his folded arms.   
"Yeah, I think that would be good, I don’t care if we do it today, tomorrow or the day after, choose what you prefer, sweetheart."   
"Today – than we have the next two days just for us before we celebrate New Year with Simon."   
"Okay, then you should call your mother, so that they know, that we’re coming."   
"Hmm, I do it when we got up."   
He leaned toward Benedict, kissed his temple.

Benedict smiled and rubbed his eyes, he sat up, ran his hand through his hair and then stood up. Martin smiled at him, was wearing Benedicts shirt and his own shorts, he left the bedroom and went to the toilet. Benedict stretched out again, went to his pocket, picked up just a new boxershorts and a white t-shirt, he got dressed and then left the bedroom, collected on the way down the whole garments and put all of them on the first step of the stairs. Martin came down and went with Ben into the kitchen. He looked around for the phone while Ben was making coffee and tea for Martin.   
Martin grabbed the phone, dialed his mother's number and leaned against the kitchen unit, waiting. On the other line was a click.

_"Good morning, darling."_ , smiled his mother into the phone, Martin yawned again, rubbed his face and then looked at Ben, who began to make breakfast.  
 _"Yes, morning, mum."_   
_"It sounds like you two were half asleep."_   
_"Hmm, perfectly correct, not everyone got up shortly after 7am, how you two."_ , smiled he and looked at Ben in his tight black shorts and the white T-shirt.   
_"If you stand up early, you have more of the day, Martin. So what's going on? Why are you calling, anything I can do for you?"_  
 _"I, therefore, Benedict and I had wondered whether we come to you today for dinner. Before it gets too stressful next year, and we can’t make it. Adjusts with you today?"_  
 _"Oh yes, that's great. This fits well today. You see, it is good when you're awake early, so I can quietly prepare the food for dinner."_   
Martin sighed, looked at the clock in the kitchen.   
_"Mum, it is just after nine, until evening you’ve enough time, even if you had slept until ten...and please don’t make yourself so much work."_  
 _"If you two come over, then I’ll make something nice for dinner!"_  
 _"I only said,...you know what, forget it, I know you…but really mum, a simple dinner is enough. When are we going to be there?"_  
 _"Honey, it’s my choice. Don’t worry. 7pm or is this to late for you two?”_  
 _“No, no, that’s fine. 7pm is good. We'll see you later."_  
 _"Fantastic, see you later, Martin."_   
He hung up.

Benedict had made breakfast and set the counter in the kitchen, he was done, everything was ready.   
"Sorry, now you had to do everything alone."   
Ben smiled over at him.   
"Everything ok, Martin. 7pm?"   
"Yeah, 7pm with my parents."   
Martin put down the phone and came over to Benedict. He sat down on the other bar stool, grabbed the tea.   
"Thanks, Benny."He smiled over at him and went on. "She will grab James and compel him to go shopping with her and the rest of the day she’ll probably standing in the kitchen, just because we come for dinner."   
Ben smirked at him.   
"We could have invite your parents for dinner."   
Martin grimaced and pinched him in the side.   
"Why are you saying that now?!   
Ben grinned and shrugged.   
"You haven’t asked. No matter now, Martin. My parents will do the same, if we should come over for dinner."   
Martin smiled at him.   
"You can also speak, when I have not asked you before. You don’t need my permission."   
He drank some of his tea and Ben grinned at him, nodded and said,   
"I know that. I look forward to tonight.", said he softly, watching Martin next to him, who was sitting in a checkered shorts and white T-shirt next to him and drinking his tea. Benedict leaned over and whispered softly in his ear, "I like you this way…only in shorts, my shirt, your sleepy face, the wrinkles from the pillow on your face, the beard, your tousled hair. It's really sexy and it’s great to wake up with you."He breathed a kiss on his temple.   
Martin smiled, nestled his temple closer to Benedicts lips.   
"Hmmh, thank you for these great compliments. I also like it very much when you wake up next to me, and are not a perfectly styled Benedict. But you’re also very sexy with a suit and tie."   
He put his hand gently on Benedicts thigh and rubbed gently over it.   
"Thanks, I also like the Martin with suit and tie.”   
He pressed him a kiss on the cheek and then devoted himself to his coffee.

When they had finished breakfast, they cleared up the kitchen together and then went to the shower. While Benedict already made himself comfortably in the arm chair, Martin shaved, then dressed up, and came down to Ben. His better half was sitting in the arm chair, one leg crossed over the other, with blue jeans and a gray button shirt. He had the book, that Martin had given him yesterday in the hand and was reading it. Martin smiled, came to him, standing behind the chair and kissed his head.   
"I'm outdoor and get the newspaper."   
Ben smiled and nodded.   
Martin slipped in his sneakers in the hallway, ran to the mailbox, got the post and the newspaper out and then came back inside. He took the newspaper into the living room and sat down on the couch. The two men spent the morning reading, Martin in the newspaper, Benedict in the book. As Martin had read the newspaper and looked through the post, made a little thing for lunch for Ben and himself. He came back to the arm chair, stroked Ben through his hair.   
"Hey bookworm, lunch is ready.", said he lovingly and breathed a kiss on the hair.   
Benedict stopped reading, tilted his head back and looked up to Martin.   
"God, I honestly do not even notice that you get up."   
Martin smiled and nodded.   
"I know, love. I had asked you whether you are hungry and what would you like to eat, but you were so engrossed in the book that you did not hear me." He ran his fingers again through Bens hair.   
“Sorry, Martin." He memorized the page, closed the book and put it aside.   
"Not problem! I don’t wanted to bother you. I made us now simply a trifle, I think tonight there will be enough food."   
Benedict stood up and nodded.   
"Yeah, it’s okay. That's enough, I’m not really hungry."   
He came around to Martin, kissed his temple before they went into the kitchen.

The rest of the day was also rather quiet. They ate together, lounged on the couch, still watching some telly. Now both sat on the couch, wanted to depart in the next few minutes, as both mobile phones buzzed. Benedict pulled his from his pocket, Martin stood up and picked it from the dining table.   
"Simon." They both said at the same time.  
Martin turned his head with a grin to his partner, Ben grinned back.   
"I think we’ve got the same message."   
Martin grinned and nodded.   
"Yes I think so, too. New Years Eve 6pm at Simon for dinner and celebration."   
Ben nodded and wrote Simon back, that it would be okay and he would be there. Martin also wrote back to him, that he was pleased and would be there. The next messages from Simon unleashed with a buzz, with the news that he is also happy and they would see each other in a few days. Martin grinned and was about to plug his phone in his pocket when it buzzed again.   
"For God’s sake."   
He read the message and laughed.   
"What's so funny?", asked Ben from the sofa and Martin read aloud,   
"Have you denied yourself with Benedict? You have responded at the same time."   
Ben grinned over to Martin, he got up and came to him, looked at the screen to see what Martin replied.

_"No. Probably he was just like me relaxing on the couch and enjoy the free days."_ \- Martin

_"You have also written almost exactly the same, you’re hanging to much around with Curlybatch on the Sherlock Set. :-D Incidentally, nice pictures of you two from the cinema. Why haven’t you said anything, I would have come along! Hope you liked the movie."_ – Simon

Martin grinned, Benedict looked with a grin over Martins shoulder.

_"Because it was Benedicts Christmas present for me. And yes, the film was great, I was very annoyed that I wasn’t at the premiere. You were really hot in the film, hard to believe that one could make you more beautiful than you already are. ;-). And what pictures?"_ \- Martin

_"Pictures of you and Ben with fans, who found it very sweet and cute that you were together in the cinema. Thank you for your compliment, in 3 days you can enjoy my ravishing beauty. Ben is busy again, he stops writing. So see you."_ – Simon

_"Who knows what he's doing. See you. :-D. "_ \- Martin

Ben laughed and shook his head, while Martin put the phone in his jeans.   
"Benedict has really something better to do, he take his boyfriend and drive to his parents now.", said Bend softly and blew him a kiss on the temple.   
"Excellent idea."


	26. A family dinner

After driving for good forty minutes, Ben parked the car in the driveway of Martin's parents. It was shortly before 7pm and now Benedict was a little bit nervous, he had only seen Martins mother and stepfather on a few premieres. He looked over at his partner, who was already unbuckeled and smiled at him.   
"You look nervous, darling.", said Martin softly, rubbing lovingly over Ben's thigh. "My mother likes you very much and also James, you really don’t have to worry, you know the two."   
Ben squeezed briefly Martins hand and nodded.   
"Nevertheless, I’m here for dinner with the parents of my partner and should make a good impression."   
"I think the only person who probably behave like a grumpy, sassy fool, is me.", smirked Martin and Benedict also began to smile.   
"Yeah, but that’s always the case, love. So it doesn’t matter anymore."   
"Well, thank you very much Benny. You better get out, before you talk yourself into trouble, my friend.", grinned Martin and opened his door.   
He got out and walked around the car. Benedict was doing the same and locked the car. 

They walked together to the front door, Martin rang the doorbell and a short time later, the door was opened by Martin's mother. She beamed at the two men in front of her.   
"Oh, there you are. Come in boys."  
She stepped aside, Benedict stepped in and Martin followed him.   
Benedict smiled. Since the last premiere he was with Martins parents on first name terms. He reached his hand to Martins mother.  
"Hello, thank you for inviting us to dinner tonight, it's nice that we meet again."   
She shook his hand, stroked his arm.   
"We are also very pleased that we see you again. Pull off your shoes, that’s more cozy, the fireplace is on. Why didn’t you boys wear jackets in this weather?"   
She hugged Martin while Ben took off his shoes.   
Benedict was wearing a dark jeans, the blue-gray buttonshirt and even a casual blue jacket over it, but he pull it off. Martin was also wearing a pair of jeans, a light green buttonshirt and a black cardigan over it.   
"The few meters from the car to the door, there’s no need to wear a jacket.”, smiled Martin and hugged her too.   
James had come into the hall, greeted Ben with a warm knocker on his shoulder.   
"Benedict, good to see you."   
Ben smiled, put his hand on James upper arm and nodded.   
"Hi James, that last time is quite a while ago." 

Martin's mother disappeared in the kitchen and Martin greeted his stepfather before Benedict went with him into the dining room and Martin to his mother in the kitchen.   
"Can I help you, mum? I guess you stood the whole day in the kitchen, for our sake."   
"I like to do it and you know that. I don’t need help, I just wanted to look shortly after the casserole, love. The salad is already in the dining room."   
Martin stooped and looked into the furnace.   
"Oh great. Pasta bake, that’s fantastic."   
"I hope Benedict will like it."  
Martin smiled, put his hand on her shoulder.   
"Don’t worry, he likes to eat pasta and I’m sure he will love your pasta bake, just like the salad."   
She smiled at him, rubbed on his upper arm.   
"It's really nice that you two come over for dinner. Did you have a nice day yesterday?"  
The thought of yesterday, let Martins eyes began to shine, his mother smiled,   
"What a question, of course you had a nice day."   
"Yes. Yes, it was really great. We have made our presents handover, then we were in the cinema and had had dinner in a italian restaurant. The evening was really great and the night..." He waved and grinned. "Let us rather go into the dining room to the others, before I chat on."  
She grinned and nodded,   
"Yes, let us better go to the dining room, the rest is certainly not meant for my ears." 

Martin grinned and went to the dining room, stroked Benedict's shoulder, who talked with James.   
Martin and his mother sat down and the two other men finished their conversation.   
"I think we can began with the salad, your casserole isn’t ready, I guess.", said James.  
They all raised their glasses, before they began to eat.  
Benedict smiled softly with Martin and his parents, his nervousness was gone after Philomenas warm welcome, he felt really good and looked forward to the rest of the evening with Martins family. 

They ate quietly, enjoyed the salad, until the oven in the kitchen beeped and announced that the casserole would be ready. Philomena stood up and Ben smiled up at her.   
"Can I help you?"   
"Oh that’s nice my dear, but it isn’t much to do, so you can stay here with Martin und James.”   
Ben nodded and smiled.   
"Okay."   
Martin's mother disappeared with a smile in the kitchen and five minutes later she came back, put the noodle casserole on the table and said with a smile,   
"Help yourself, boys."   
Martin smiled and filled Bens and James plate, then his mothers and in the end his own plate. During the meal they talked only about yesterday evening at the cinema, the new italian restaurant and what they had done today. His mother wanted to enjoy the dinner with the three men, before she would ask her questions.   
The food was concluded with a delicious serving of tiramisu. 

Benedict was on his second glass of wine, they had agreed that Martin would drive back, after all, he had actually a driver's license since a while. He had to do it for the role he have in the series called Fargo.   
Bens hand stroked gently over Martins shoulder and Philomena stood up, wanted to clear, so they could make oneselfs comfortable in the living room.   
"I'll help you, that’s faster.", said Benedict and stood up.   
"That's kind of you. Martin, you and James can go to the living room. Take the drinks with you."  
Martin smiled and nodded, stood up with James and stroked Benedict gentle over the belly before he took the wine glass and his glass of water. Ben smiled softly, took a few plates and followed Martin's mother.   
He came back again to fetch the baking dish, Martin just took the wine bottle and the water bottle, standing on the table. Martin smiled with beaming eyes and came to Benedict with the bottle in his hand, stretched and mumbled,  
“A dream son in law."   
He breathed a kiss on Benedicts lips, which was reciprocated by a smiling Benedict. Martin's mother also came back again, wanted to fetch the dessert plate. The sight of the kissing couple made her smile. She gathered softly the plate and disappeared into the kitchen.   
Benedict sparked the kiss, his eyes shining at Martin.   
"Great evening with you.", said Martin, gave him a second kiss, winked at Ben and disappeared into the living room. 

Benedict grabbed the baking pan and came back to the kitchen.   
"The food was great, really tasty."   
"Thank you Ben, nice that it tasted you. Dessert is still there, if you would like something more."   
"Not at the moment, I am really fed up. But perhaps later, I’ll come back to it."   
He helped Philomena with the dishes and the food, stow the salad and the tiramisu again in the refrigerator. He closed the door of the fridge again, as Martin's mother put her hand on his upper arm.   
"It's really nice to see you two together like this. It's a beautiful picture."   
Benedict smiled sheepishly.   
"Thank you, I was really nervous on the ride over here. We haven’t seen us often, and then only on premieres and…yeah…I was only a colleague and a friend of your son."   
"On the few premieres you were really nice and gentlemen like and you have collected enough plus points, Benedict. And you’re still a colleague and friend and now also the partner of our son. I find it really great and I’m very happy for you two and also James, just like the rest of the Freeman family. You are very welcome, Ben."   
Ben smiled softly, enjoying the warm words and stroked her back gently.  
"Thanks Philomena, I also felt very welcome here."   
"That’s what I wanted to hear, my dear. Come let us go to our men in the living room, so I can ask you a few questions.", grinned she softly and rubbed over Benedicts upper arm.   
Ben grinned softly and then followed her into the living room. 

 

Martin sat on the sofa, James in one of the armchairs.   
Martin's mother sat in the other, Benedict sat next to Martin on the couch, who gently smiled at Benedict and put his hand gently on its thigh. Ben smiled at him, took Martins hand in his and put it back in his lap.   
His parents sat opposite of them and were smiling at the two men, Martin looked at them and grinned,   
"Could you not stare like this?!"   
"We haven’t seen you with a partner a long time, so now we have to make up for it.", grinned James. "After all, it's been a while since you introduced us to someone."   
Martin grinned and shook his head.   
"Before you are staring silently...thanks again for your dinner today and the lovely evening, the food was really great."   
"We also enjoyed it and it’s great to see you two. Next year you two have a lot to do. It's really nice that it does work out this year. We know that you wanted to have the last few days of the year actually just for you.", said James, smiling.   
"How is it with your friends and colleagues? Does everyone know that you two are together?, asked Martins mother.  
Benedict and Martin shook their heads, Benedict replied.   
"No, we've just coming out to you and my family."   
"And when Simon came over spontaneously, I almost betrayed us at the second day. I don’t know if he suspects something in this direction, but he knows anyway that I have to hide something. Since we know each other, he always knew when I have a secret. I’m not capable off hiding something from him.", smirked Martin and the others chuckled.   
"You’re celebrating New Years Eve with Simon, don’t you? Do you want to say it there?", asked his mother.

The couple looked at each other, then back to Martin's parents.   
"To be honest, we haven’t talked about this. That with you and my family was also rather short and spontaneously.", said Ben and turned his head to Martin. "But perhaps we should think about it in the next two days."   
Martin smiled and nodded, he bends slightly to the coffee table and picked up his water glass and looked over his shoulder to Ben.   
"Do you want your wine, Benny?"   
Ben smiled and nodded.   
"That would be nice. Thank you, love.", said he as Martin handed him already his glass of wine and leaned back again.   
"I think no one really expected that you will be coming together one day. From your stories, Martin, many of the fans have probably more or less hoped at least so for John and Sherlock, but...so to speak for our family, we would’ve never expected, it really did never appear, but so often we haven’t seen you two together.", smiled his mother and Martin looked softly to her.   
"I also think that friends of ours or colleagues do not expect it. The fact that the fans would like to see John and Sherlock together, some might even us as privat persons...but only because we are together, the relationship of John and Sherlock is probably not come true. Although, you never know what Mark and Steven come up with.", smiled he and then grinned at Ben, "But I have to say that now I would have fewer problems to kiss you in front of the camera."   
Ben grinned at him.   
"Sherlock would kiss John definitely only without the silly mustache, which is fortunately gone.", smiled he and said, "But, those are ultimately not you and I. My family has also not expecting to see me with a man, they were just as surprised as you are."   
"I think we were both very surprised of ourself, Benny.", said Martin   
Ben smiled and nodded as he drank some of the wine.   
"In any case it is very great to see you boys together and we are very happy for you. You two are very happy and that is all that matters. Are you happy, so we are too, no matter how surprising that news came from or how new and unfamiliar it is. And I think it's more for you than for us.", smiled Philomena gentle and Martin nodded.   
"You're right...", pressed he Benedicts thigh, who had now put an arm around Martins shoulder.   
The legs were crossed, in the other hand he held the glass of wine. You could tell that he probably felt very comfortable and relaxed in Martins nearby and that he enjoyed the evening, he seemed completely relaxed and that's what he was. 

Martin's mother, as well as his stepfather had also been looking forward to the evening, it was for them very new, to see Martin intimate with a man and they were actually been as nervous as Benedict. Nevertheless, Philomena enjoyed the evening very much, enjoyed the atmosphere, the interaction between Benedict and Martin, the conversations.   
Benedict had been very sympathetic already at their first meeting and when his mother was honest, she could not imagine a better man at Martins side. She was absolutely happy with Martins choice.


	27. A lovely goodbye

Jesus I'm sorry, that was again a long time without a new chapter.   
I had had a hand injury.  
So enjoy the next chapter.

 

The evening flew by.   
Benedict was since a while now, totally absorbed in a conversation with James and Martin's mother.   
Martin hadn’t said anything since a long time and couldn’t even say what the three were talking about. He leaned comfortably against the backrest of the sofa, had one leg, as Benedict, crossed over the other, one hand holding his glass of water, the other was in his lap. He watched his parents and Benedict, the image was great, they were chatting for quite a while very excited, were laughing together and looked as if their relationshop were very close since many years. It mades Martins heart beat faster, showed him how right that relationship with Ben was. He looked dreamily into the round, just listened to the words, but he was too fascinated by the image and it touched him too much, so that he was more daydreaming than listening.   
It was quiet in the room, the three looked to Martin. 

Martin felt Benedicts hand on his thigh, heard his warm voice.   
"Are you asleep with open eyes, sweetheart?"   
Martin blinked a few times, then smiled in the round.   
"No, no...everything is fine. I was just listening."  
Benedict smiled, rubbed gently over Martins thigh.   
"Shall we going home, love?"   
Martin smiled and nodded.   
"Yes, we can."   
Martin looked at his mother and James, who both smiled over to them. 

Philomena and Benedict stood up, as James, and Martin put his water glass on the coffee table. The four went to the hall, where Ben and Martin put on their shoes.  
"Ben, do you want the leftover from the dessert?", asked Philomena.   
Ben smiled up from the squat, shaking his head.   
"No, it’s fine, really. I don’t want to make you any work.  
"Oh nonsense, my dear. I'll be right back.", smiled she down to her son's partner.  
Benedict wanted to say something, but she had already disappeared into the kitchen. James chuckled,   
"Actually, that wasn’t even a question, Benedict."  
Ben turned around and smiled, Martin shook also his head and was smirking, waited with Ben at the door. His mother came back with a Tupperware container and handed it over to Benedict with a lovely smile.  
"Thank you.", smiled Ben and Martin looked gently,   
"That wasn’t necessary, mum."   
"It’s okay, darling. So you two have something sweet to eat tomorrow."   
"Martin has enough candy in his cupboard.", laughed Ben and Martin pinched him grinning in his side.   
"Which one of us is eating more candy from the cupboard, hmh?", pressed Martin his finger in Benedicts belly and grinned.   
Benedict looked at him grinning, his eyes sparkled.   
"I eat less than you, otherwise, which is not particularly difficult, because you're constantly on the food, so I’m allowd to eat more from the candy."   
Martin laughed and patted him gently on the stomach. 

Martins gaze went to James, he smiled again, stepped over to him and hugged him.   
"Bye, see you. I’ll call you on New Years Day."  
"Yeah, that’s fine, boy, it was great that you were here."  
Benedict, in the meanwhile, said goodbye to Martin's mother, who had just hugged him gently, as he held his hand to her.   
"Come here, boy.", smiled she. "It was great that you were here."   
She rubbed gently over his back and Benedict smiled gently at her, hugged her gently and was surprised by the open and gentle gesture.   
"Thanks for the invitation, for the great food...and the supplies."  
"You're welcome, Benedict."   
They exchanged the partners, so that Benedict now also said goodbye to James, who paternally patted him on the shoulder and told him that he was glad to have seen him again. Martin hugged his mother and stroked her back.   
"Thanks for the great evening and the great food, mum."  
He gave her a kiss on the cheek and got one from her, followed by her whispering,   
"A great son in law."   
Martin smiled and whispered,   
"He is awesome, isn’t he?"  
Martin's mother chuckled softly and nodded.   
"Couldn’t imagine a better man for my youngest. I wish you two a couple of great days and that you two be able to enjoy the rest of the year."  
"Thank you mum, thank you. Have you also nice days and a great New Year's Eve."  
They broke apart, smiled at each other, Martin opened the door.   
The couple raised again their hands and then walked together back to the car.   
Behind them, the door shut slowly. 

 

Benedict smiled at Martin, fumbled the keys out of his pocket and handed it to Martin.   
"I've drunk definitely too much wine with James, so you have to drive."   
Martin smiled and took the key.   
"No problem, that was the plan, wasn’t it? So come on, let’s have a seat and watch out for the tiramisu!", winked Martin at him.  
Benedict smiled and walked around the car. He opened the door, as Martin unlocked the car and sat down, the can with the tiramisu lay on his lap. Martin also got in, buckled up and looked again gently over to Benedict before he started the engine and drove off.   
It was not that he wasn’t able to drive a car, but he wasn’t used to it. He had never found it necessary to spend money for the license. At the beginning of his career, he lived in London and used the tube and later as there were more money, he used the tube, the train, a taxi or a driver. That was much more comfortable. But finally he had made the license for filming ‘Fargo’ and was allowed to drive, but did it very rarely.  
The music played softly in the background and Martins eyes fell briefly on the digital clock in the car.   
"Oh jeez...it's already 1:30am!"   
Benedict smiled over and nodded.   
"Yes, too much daydreaming, so you didn’t noticed."   
"I...it was just good to see you with my parents. I don’t even really listened, if I’m honest, it was just great to see you so familiar with each other, as they have known you for ages, as if you were much longer as a partner at my side. It was nice to see you three laughing and talking this much. The whole evening was great and I didn’t expect that it actually runs out so naturally. At least not to this extent. My mother loves you, she said at the door to me, that she couldn’t imagine a better man by my side...and that you're a great son in law. She is absolutely thrilled with you.", smiled Martin, looked from time to time to Ben.   
Ben smiled over to Martin, bowed his head. "Wow, honestly? I like the two really much, Martin, they are great, especially your mother was really warm and gentle to me...she gave me a hug at the end."   
"Yeah I saw it in the corner of the eye, I was also surprised.", chuckled Martin before he looked back at the road.   
He felt Benedicts hand stroking his thigh.   
"By the way, I couldn’t imagine a better man than you by my side, Martin. Thanks for the really great evening with your family."  
Martin smiled, tapped briefly with a hand gently on Benedicts thigh, before he turned his gaze back to the road. 

 

It was quiet in the car as Martin, after almost forty minutes, parked in front of the house. On the way he had turned off the music, the reason sat or hung like a wet sack beside him in the passenger seat. Benedict had made himeself comfortably after their little chat. A short time later a faint snoring was coming from the man, who leaned with his head against the window. He was slipped further down in the seat, the arms lay loosely on his lap and were holding the tiramisu can.   
Martin turned the engine off, pulled out the key and unbuckled himself. He looked over at Ben and his face was spreading a loving, slightly smirking smile.   
The man next to him had not changed its position, snoring softly.   
Martin leaned toward him, put a hand on Benedicts, kissed his cheek and murmured softly,   
"Hey, we're here."   
He gently squeezed Benedicts hand, who sighed and moved a little bit.   
"Hmm? Already there?", asked Benedict sleepily and opened his eyes slowly.   
Martin smiled and nodded, muttering softly,   
"Yes, already there, you need to wake up a little before you can go to bed.”   
Ben sat up, rubbing the place at his head, which he had pressed against the glass all the time and yawned,   
"Hmh." He rubbed his eyes, could barely keep them open. "Oh god, I'm deathly tired...even worse than before falling asleep."   
He yawned again, ran his fingers through his hair and looked with a tired face at Martin.   
"I am tired too, Benny. Come on, let's go, then you can go back to sleep."  
Martin pressed again Benedicts hand and then pulled away. 

The two went out of the car, Martin locked it and waited for Benedict, who scuffled slowly to him. Martin grinned at him.   
"I should film you and send it Simon or Edgar, maybe they are planning a zombie movie again, right now you would be the ideal actor to do it. Your moves are really realistic.”  
He pushed Benedict gently toward the door, Ben yawned and smiled wearily,  
"Small, old...nasty little runt!"   
Martin laughed and rubbed gently over the back of his partner as they stood at the door. He unlocked and pushed him in slowly, closed the door and looked at Benedict.   
"Come on, give me the tiramisu and go up to bed, you zombie, I’m with you in a few minutes."   
Martin stretched up, breathed him a kiss on the lips and stroked Ben's hair on the side. Benedict smiled softly, pressed the box in Martins hands and gave him a kiss on the head. Martin smiled and Benedict put his hand on Martin's cheek.   
"I'll bite you when you’re in bed too, then you're a zombie, you little Hobbit."   
Ben released his hand and yawned again, Martin smiled and slapped him gently with his free hand on the butt.   
"Come on, first go to bed." 

Ben smiled wearily, slipped out of the shoes and then shuffled up, used the toilet and brushing his teeth, then slipped out of his trouser in the bedroom, the jacket and his shirt and dropped into bed, he pulled the blanket over himself.   
Martin acknowledged meanwhile the tiramisu in the fridge, hanging his house keys and car keys from Benedict and then withdrew from the shoes. He also went upstairs to the bathroom, made himself ready for bed and then came into the bedroom.   
Martin walked through the dark room to the bed, turned on his bedside light and looked at his partner, whom he had hearing quietly snoring. He smiled down at the slender man, who was lying in bed, made himself bigger than he actually was, the blanket was pulled up to the ears. Martin had already undressed in the bathroom down to shorts and a white t-shirt and went to Benedict to bed, first on his side.   
He bent over Ben, gave him a tender kiss on the hair and drove his hand through the strands.   
"I guess, I have to go without the biting. That’s a shame. I love you, you pathetic zombie.", murmered Martin in Benedicts hair, leaned back, turned on his back and pulled the blanket a little about himself.   
Ben slipped in his sleep to him, put his head on Martins chest, his arm around the stomach.   
Martin smiled down and gently stroked a while through Benedicts hair, while he thought about the evening.   
He knew his mother and James were always very warm and open with his girlfriends, but tonight with Ben, that was different. His mother had never hugged one of his girlfriends after the first dinner or called her love or dear, not even if they had known the girl or woman. But tonight she had embraced his partner, constantly called him "my dear, my boy, love". He smiled to himself, felt his heart beat against his chest, which was running one or two beats faster. The evening was fantastic, he would asked him about the evening with Simon tomorrow. He had enjoyed it so much tonight, it was incredibly easy with Benedict in front of others, he didn't want to act as if Benedict was just a friend, on New Year's Eve. He didn't want to celebrate the new year with his partner and pretend he wasn’t his partnter. No way, he didn’t want to miss the first New Year's kiss with Ben.


	28. In front of the fireplace

At the next morning they were woken up almost simultaneously, both had slept, even for their circumstances, quite long and after they were woken up, the two had cuddled amost an hour.  
It was actually already 12pm when they headed for the first stop today, the bathroom. They showered together, brushed their teeth and had made a few sandwiches in the kitchen.  
The day passed by without much action, just relaxing at home, reading, listening to some music. In the evening they had cooked together and now they were sitting in front of the fireplace. 

They had pushed the coffee table away, set a cozy blanket in front of the fireplace and were both dressed in more comfortable pajama pants and T-shirts. If one looked exactly on this picture, just one of the two men sat in front of the fireplace and that was Martin. He sat cross-legged on the blanket, Benedict lay before him, stretched out with bare feet, the head was bedded on Martins lap. Ben had closed his eyes, a bag of Haribo lay next to him, from which he every now and then grabbed a bear, the wine glasses of the two were not far away.  
Benedict just bitten off a head from one of the bears, while Martin continues with massaging through Bens hair, his temples, playing with the strands every now and then. Benedict enjoyed it very much, he purred again and listened to Martin's warm voice.  
"Benny? Um…I want to talk with you about New Year’s Eve and Simon and all the others - um well, I thought about it last night, when you were already asleep. I would love to celebrate New Year’s Eve with my partner, not a friend. I wouldn’t like to miss you, even though you're there, you know what I mean? That dinner with my parents was great, easy, enjoyable, not to pay attention what I say or how I say it, which touches I exchange with you or how to look at you...how to call you. I don’t want that our first New Year’s Eve felt like we were separated from each other, d’you know what mean?"  
Ben had swallowed the bear, listened to Martin attentively and then opened his eyes, looking up to Martin, who looked down at him, his hands in Benedicts hair, rested.  
Martins eyes watched him questioning, uncertain, but they shone hopefully.  
Benedict looked at him with soft eyes. In the private sector he had no problem with it, to tell their friends and families that they were not longer just friends, but a couple, that they loved each other. He nodded in Martins lap, smiled softly up to him.  
"I wouldn’t like to pretend the whole evening and night as if we didn’t love each other and if I’m honest, I would like to give you a New Year's kiss.", beamed he up to Martin and pursed his lips.  
Martin's eyes shone, the uncertainty in them had disappeared, he bent down and picked up Benedicts kiss. Martin gave him a second kiss and then sat down properly.  
"We’re going together, Martin, and we'll behave quite naturally as we done it with your parents. I think Simon will be curios why we come together and I’m sure he’ll ask what is going on very quickly."  
"Yeah, you’re right, I suppose."  
Benedict stretch his arm up, caressed with his hand over Martins cheek.  
"I'm not going to spend New Year’s Eve without my partner, if he is with me on the same party.", smiled Benedict. 

Martin smiled down, put his hand on Benedicts hand, which lay on his cheek. He bent down again, kissed Benedicts cheekbones, his nose and then his lips, sighed when Benedict kissed him back. He let go of Benedicts hand, stroked over his arm, on his chest and down to his stomach. He reached into Benedicts T-shirt, pulled it together and pushed it up a bit, ran his hand over Benedicts bare belly.  
Ben purred into the kiss, put his hand on Martin's neck, pulling him deeper.  
They kissed upside down, let their tongues gently dance with each other.  
Martins hand pushed the tee shirt further up, now covered over Benedicts bare chest, he sighed into the kiss, but had to broke up, the position was uncomfortable for the neck and back. He sat up, looked down to Ben, who seemed not very pleased about the end of the kiss.  
Martin smiled, ran with his fingers through Benedicts hair, then raised its head, pulled out his legs and put Bens head on the blanket.  
"Sorry love, I come to you, it was very uncomfortable.", said he softly.  
Martin crawled to him, propped his hands next to Benedicts head, knelt over him, bent down again and breathed Ben a kiss on the nose.  
"Now we can proceed.", winked Martin gently.  
He let Ben no time to answer, but clasped his lips again lovingly.  
Benedicts hand went again on Martins neck and from there, gently under the tee shirt, his fingers fondled Martin there. He felt Martins tongue on his lips, opened his own lips and was happy to return Martins passionate kiss.  
Martin enjoyed Benedicts fondle on his back, goose bumps had spread all over his body. He put a hand to Benedict's cheek, ran his thumb back and forth, before he went down Bens cheek with a finger. His finger ran over Benedicts neck, over the pushed-up T-shirt, on the chest, he caressed around Benedicts right nipple and then ran his index finger over it before he just circled again.  
Benedict groaned into the kiss, bite hungrily for more, gently in Martins lip. His partner groaned from the bite, ran his finger again over Benedicts nipple and then wandered with his forefinger slowly deeper over Ben's bare skin. He deepened the kiss, felt Benedicts goose bumps under his finger and how his kiss was hungry and hot.  
Ben enjoyed Martins caressing, he wanted to feel more of Martin, ran his other hand on top of Martin's T-shirt. It hung slightly downward at the belly, Benedict slipped underneath it and stroked Martins belly.  
Martin moaned into the kiss, he felt himself getting hard. His fingers wandered to Ben's pajama bottoms, but stopped before he touched Benedicts penis.  
Benedict sighed, he broke the kiss, muttered hoarsely,  
"Martin." He looked up in his eyes.  
Martin smiled, looked him straight in the eyes.  
Both had swollen lips from kissing each other desperately, their pupils were dilated, almost completely black. Martin looked in Ben's eyes, let his eyes wander with a seductive gaze. Over Ben's chest, his hard nipples, abdomen, down to its building up erection.  
Benedict enjoyed Martins staring gaze, it turned him on even more and he whispered hoarsely,  
"Please, Martin! Can you not look at me like this! Do something!"  
Martin glanced slowly upwards, looked back in Benedicts eyes and whispered with relish,  
"What do you want me to do, love?"  
"Touching, kissing...and...what I have done to you two nights ago.", said Benedict aroused.  
Martin bent down, ran his tongue over Benedicts ear, what elicited Ben a deep groan.  
"I will fulfill your wishes, all of them. Here and now.", whispered Martin's seductive voice in Benedict's ear. 

Martins lips kissed Benedicts ear down to the neck and his tongue, leaving a hot, wet trail down to Benedicts larynx, he kissed it again.  
Benedict pressed his hand on Martin's back, the other on the hip and tilted his head back with a groan.  
Martin broke away completely from Ben, smiled down at the slender man and pushed his partners T-shirt up until it lay on the floor behind Benedicts head. Martins eyes darted back with relish over Benedicts torso, he enjoyed the view, bent down to Benedicts chest and covered it with kisses. He braced himself next to Benedicts head, the other hand stroked shamelessly into the pajama pants and boxers.  
"Jesus! Martin...", moaned the man under him and raised his hips to be closer to Martins hand.  
Martins lips traveled to Ben's nipple, he sucked it, bit it, licked it, kissed it again and again as he lay his hand just idly and lightly on Benedicts erection.  
Benedicts chest vibrated from purring and moaning. He tried to get closer to Martin's hand, but it seemed that his partner had decided apparently to torment him. Everytime he pushed his hips upwards to Martins hand, his partner pulled his hand back.  
"Martin! God please!", groaned Ben in agony.  
Martin pulled his hand out of Benedicts pants, pushed it with the boxers down. Benedict kicked both things away, lay now naked under Martin, who put his hand on Benedicts hip and desisted from Benedicts nipple. He kissed his way slowly down.  
"Fuck Martin! Please...more, much more.", begged Benedict with a hungry voice.  
Martin broke the kisses and smiled up to his partner.  
"Since when are you impatient like this?", asked Martin's whispering voice.  
"Since when do you torture me slowly with your lips, your tongue and your teeth, you know how much that turns me on."  
"Oh yes, I know, that’s why I've done it, sweetheart.", whispered Martin and came closer to Benedicts ear, distributed small kisses on it, bite him gently into the earlobe and whispered again, "and now I will turn you on even more...until you beg for mercy."  
Benedict swallowed, his heart was racing and he groaned when he felt again Martins lips on his bare, hot skin.  
Martin kissed the way back down to the chest, the abdomen, until he reached Benedicts throbbing erection. He kissed the tip, licking the pre-come away before he took Bens hard erection in his mouth.  
Ben clawed his hand in the blanket, groaned impatiently, ran with the other into Martins hair and closed his eyes.  
Martin caressed Benedicts erection up and down, with the lips, the teeth, ran his tongue over his tip, licked his full length slowly up and down, over his balls, sucking them.  
He knew how much it turned Benedict on and how much Ben loved it when his lips were everywhere on his whole body.  
Benedicts deep groan turned him on in a really intensive way.  
“Oooh, jesus. Martin...don’t stop it, please, don’t stop it.”  
His hands massaged Benedicts thighs. He enjoyed it how Benedict felt and taste.  
Martins lips and tongue caressed Ben's erection intensive. He licked the next pre-come from Benedicts tip.  
Benedict moved his hips a little bit, he could not restrain it. Martin seemed okay with it, and instead that he slowed its caresses down, Benedict felt how the movements with Martins tongue and lips got more intense. Martin licked with more pleasure over the hard erection, scratching with the teeth up to the top, licking and sucking the tip, down with lovingly lips, licking and sucking over Benedicts balls.  
Benedict rolled his eyes behind closed lids, he moaned loudly, clawing his hands in the blanket and in Martins hair, moving his hips. He was close to his climax, he could barely hold back - hold back from coming - hold back from thrusting into Martin's mouth.  
"Martin! Martin...fuck...I can’t any longer. Stop it...fuckfuckfuck..."

Since their first blowjob, they hadn’t end it this way, they had stopped previously, reaching the climax with their hands. This time, however, Martin didn’t want to stop it, his hand gently massaged Benedicts thighs, his tongue licked hungrily and with pressure over Benedicts tip, its length once up and down. He took him back in his mouth, he wanted that Ben reached his climax this way.  
Benedict could no longer restrain himself, his hand ran nervously through Martins hair, he clawed his other hand in the blanket, the orgasm overcame him and he moaned with pleasure Martins name. His ribcage rose and fell quickly, he purred again Martins name, ran his trembling hand through his partners hair.  
Martin swallowed all, he was incredibly aroused and he needed Ben as soon as possible. He kissed again Benedicts penis before he was on all fours over Benedict, looked down to him, licking his lips satisfied and smiling lovingly.  
Benedict looked breathless and overwhelmed up to Martin, saw him licking his lips, which made him shiver. 

Martin bent down, breathed Ben a kiss on the lips and one on the nose. Then his lips met lovingly Benedicts right cheekbone and then the left cheekbone. Benedicts forehead got the last tender kiss.  
Martin bent down to his ear and whispered into it with a promising and seductive voice,  
"I'm not finished with you."  
Martin bit him gently into the earlobe, stood up and disappeared from the living room.


	29. On fire

Benedict lay motionless on the blanket in front of the fireplace.   
His heart raced from Martins words, his stomach tingled, a tingling feeling all over his body. The combination of Martins words and the bite in his earlobe made him desperate for his partner again. He closed his eyes, hoping that Martin would come back very soon. 

Martin had rushed the stairs up into the bedroom, had fished the lube out of the bedside table and rushed the stairs down again, taking two steps at a time. He was absolutly desperate for Ben, he could hardly wait to be really close to him.   
He came back into the living room, circled the sofa.   
Ben opened his eyes slowly. He looked up to Martin, saw how he dropped the lubricant to the blanket. He looked at Martins body, with lustfully eyes. Martin was still dressed in his black T-shirt and his pajama pants, which showed a clear bulge. Benedict licked his lips and his eyes wandered up to Martin's eyes, who smiled down at him with a little charming smirk.   
Martin grabbed the T-shirt at his neck, pulled it over his head. It sailed to the ground.  
Benedict let his gaze wander over Martins naked chest and his little belly. He breathed deeply, loved this body and watched how Martins hands swept down the pajama pants. Benedict licked his lips again as he saw the wet spot on Martins shorts, who got out of his boxers, came across the blanket, knelt down and smiled charmingly at Benedict.   
"Finally, you're here again.", whispered Ben and ran his hand along Martins side, gently on its back and the spine up to the hair. 

Martin closed his eyes and purred at Benedicts gentle touch.   
Benedict pressed gently Martins head down, kissed his lips lovingly and caressed Martins hair. Martin sighed into the kiss, returned it longingly.   
Ben spread his legs a little more, let Martin take place between them, who slowly sank to his forearms.   
The two men broke the kiss as Martins bare chest touched Benedicts – a deeply moan and a enjoyable one escaped.   
Martin looked at Bens eyes, the pupils black lakes. He felt Benedicts erection against his, slowly rubbed against it, groaned and kissed his partners neck with wet kisses.   
Benedicts hands moved out of Martins hair, over the spine towards his bum and he pushed him closer. He groaned eager as their erections rubbed over each other.   
Martins fingertips drove Benedicts side along, slowly to his waist, he scratched with his fingernails gently up again, sucked on Ben's neck.   
"Damn Martin...more.", moaned Benedict, who had now a pretty significant lovebite on the neck.   
Martin pressed a kiss on it, looking up at Ben. Their hips were motionless again. Martin sat on his knees, grabbed the lube, opened it and distributed some of it on his hand. He kissed Benedicts chest again, his tongue circled around a nipple.  
“Alright, love?”, asked Martin with a warm, loving voice.  
“Yeah, I’m fine...”, murmered Ben. 

Martins forefinger slid easily over Benedicts opening, who gasped in suprise and closed his eyes with pleasure. Martin drove gently and repeatedly about its opening, kissed Benedicts chest, licked over his nipples, gave him time to relax, time to get used to it.   
Martin felt that Benedict relaxed beneath him, more and more, heard his pleasurable, deep groans, his sign that he could move on. He let his finger slide in slowly, enjoyed the feel and together with the memory how it had felt as Benedict had done this, he become even harder than he already was.   
Ben's hand slipped on Martins hips, pushing him there, the other hand was crawling Martins hair. It was a little uncomfortable, unfamiliar and a completely new feeling, but Martins tongue, which circled around his nipples and his soft kisses let him relax and made him desperate for more. He moved his hips, groaning and begging for more and got it from Martin.   
The feeling was getting better with every soft thrust of Martins finger. Benedicts groans subsided when Martins tongue and his finger disappeared. He breathed, opened his eyes, looked at Martin, who again took some lube, distributed it again on the hand and his fingers.   
Martin looked at his partner, his gaze was gentle, longing, you could tell how much he wanted Ben as soon as possible.   
"How do you do it? Holding back like this? It’s not possible.", whispered Ben hoarsely.   
Martin smiled down to Ben and winked.  
"You can not imagine how hard it is, but I don’t want that it is uncomfortable for you and I don’t want to hurt you.", breathed he a kiss on Benedicts lips.  
Martins hand disappeared, two fingers slowly slid into Benedict.   
The claw of Benedicts hand in Martins hair become more, he took a few deep breathes, tried to relax. Martin helped him with gentle little kisses, which he distributed to his torso. The two fingers slid slowly in and out, scissoring him and then - Martin rubbed gently over the sensitive spot and was rewarded with a loud groan, a purr and Benedicts deep voice,   
"Oh jesus...Martin...please more of it."   
Martin smiled, ran his nose over Benedicts belly, pushed his fingers in an intense rhythm repeatedly against Benedicts prostate and got every time this wonderful, deep and loud moan.   
"Martin...please...I want you.", came it hoarsely from Ben.  
Martin ran his fingers again slowly and gently in and out before he picked up the lubricant and distributed it this time on his own throbbing erection. He stroked over his hard member, titled his head back and moaned lustfully. His thumb slid over his tip and he had to remind himself to be patient, he needed this here too much, he needed finally redemption, but the last thing he wanted was hurting Ben or made him uncomfortable, so he needed to be patient a little bit longer.   
He stroked one more time over his own erection, bit his lower lip and took his hand off. He looked at Ben, his eyes were questioning and gently and Ben replied the unspoken question with a smiling nod. 

Ben put his hand on Martin's cheek, felt Martins lips on his, lovingly and tenderly. He was excited and full of adrenaline, his body tingled, his heart raced and he felt Martins erection at his entrance. It made him purr in the kiss.  
Martin rested his forearms on Benedicts side, his lips kissed Ben more affectionate and he slowly slid more and more into his partner.   
They broke the kiss, Martin groaned, Ben gasped, blinked a few times and was glad that Martin didn’t move.   
Martin opened his eyes, smiled, his fingers caressed Benedicts hair on the side of the head and he murmured against Ben’s lips,   
"Relax, honey." He kissed Benedicts lips tenderly, then muttered again, "It is incredibly beautiful, to be so close to you. You’re gorgeous." There was again a little, sweet kiss and after that Martins warm voice murmured, "I love you, Ben. God I'm so in love with you and every day you twist my head just a little bit more. I love you with the bottom of my heart and with all I have."   
Benedict's eyes were closed, Martins words had produced a tingling belly, a fast beating heart, which pumped against his chest widely, weak knees and they hadn’t failed their goal, he had relaxed completely and as Martin moved slowly, he groaned hoarsely,   
"God, Martin, I love you too." 

Martin smiled and caught Benedicts lips for another kiss, devoured his lips formally, he moved his hips gently and slowly.   
They groaned again in the kiss, let their rhythm got more intense and a little faster.   
Benedicts hands wandered Martins back down to his buttocks, one hand massaging his buttocks, the other wandered with caressing motions to Martins hip, side up again, over the nape and cheek, into Martins hair.   
They broke the kiss briefly, struggeling for breath, they looked at each other with lust and longing shrouded eyes and closed their lips to the next passionate kiss.   
Martin had goose bumps from Benedicts caresses, he felt the vibration in his upper body, with every moan of Benedict and sent the same vibration in Benedicts chest when he groaned into the kiss. The tongues fought passionately. Martin bit Benedicts lip repeatedly, who also retaliated with a bite.   
Benedicts hand on Martins buttocks pressed him closer, gave him a sign that he wanted more.   
Martin let the rhythm of his thrusts become faster, more intense and they were deeper, met now with every thrust Benedicts prostate. Ben wrapped his trembling legs around Martin, broke the kiss breathlessly and moaned with an impatient voice,  
"Damn it, Martin, that's incredibly good. Jesus, you’re so good."   
"Oh yes Ben. That's it. Fuck. It's indescribably hot."   
Ben moved his hips with the same rhythm, he groaned Martins name, heard his name as a hoarse murmur from Martin.   
Their lips met again longingly, passionately, were already swollen.   
Martins hand moved between them, cupped Benedicts erection with his fist, stroked up and down, with a little twist and the same fast pace as their moved their hips. He stroked Benedicts erection with light pressure downwards and with a lot more pressure and a twist back up, let the thumb with just a breathy touch ran over the tip.   
Benedicts hand pressed in Martins butt, the other hand crawled at his hair firmly, he moaned into the kiss with Martin, they pulled back. 

They gasped, their eyes sparkled, shouted for redemption.   
Martins lips traveled to Ben's ear, his tongue licked it, the teeth bite into his earlobe and he whispered,   
"Come on, love. I’ve got you. Come for me."  
Ben tiltled his head back, arched his back, crawled both hands into Martins flesh, everything tingled, he couldn’t hold back his orgasm any longer and came when Martins hand stroked his erection with pressure, up again.   
“MartinMartin...oooh yes.”, groaned Benedict with pleasure.   
Martin felt the contraction of Benedicts ring muscle at his erection, he closed his eyes, enjoyed the thight and hot hole and with a last thrust he came, loudly.   
“Fucking hell...Benny!”  
They both groaned loudly, their rhythm become slower, gentle and tender, as Martins hand. 

Martin leaned his forehead against Benedicts, closed his eyes, felt his orgasm subsided slowly and their movements came to a standstill.   
Benedicts nose rubbed over Martins, who smiled and sighed.   
Their fast breathing slowly calmed down, they were sweating and soft lips brushed over Benedicts, breathed a kiss on them.   
Martin raised his head again, he looked down to Benedict, a gentle smile on his lips, his finger stroked slowly over the lovebite.   
"Um...love, I’m terribly sorry, but I’ve made you a...lovebite – accidentally.", said he in a soft voice.  
He saw Bens smile and hear his amused voice.  
"Accidentally?"   
Martin looked deep into his eyes, which had slightly changed their colour again.   
"Um yeah, darling...I...actually, that was not my intention, but your moans had aroused me a bit too much and then I couldn’t stop myself."   
Benedicts eyes rested on the warm, glowing blue eyes.   
"It’s your job to explain the lovebite on New Year’s Eve!”, chuckled Ben and Martin grinned,   
"That makes no difference, everyone knows that you were involved in what happened during or after this lovebite, my dear. Now we must reveal our secret...or you must wear a scarf or a turtleneck jersey, which would look very stupid, because it’s always quite warm at Simon’s. You could only pretend that you had had a nice on night stand with a lovely, pretty lady."  
The couple grinned widely, exchanged a kiss and Benedict shook his head.   
"I tell you now something what I don’t want. Number one, I won’t wear a turtleneck jersey when it's so warm at Simon’s. Number two, I won’t wear a scarf, obviously, same reason. Number three, I don’t need to invent a pretty lady, for I have a really sexy and hot guy at my side, what makes us come to number four that I won’t backpedal."  
"Oh, you think I’m hot and sexy?", smiled Martin gently down at him, rubbed his nose on Bens, whose eyes glared at him with a smile.   
"Are we fishing for compliments? You know perfectly well that you're fucking hot, if you wanted to, you could probably have every day with only one finger snap another woman at your side and in your bed.", grinned Ben.   
Martin smirked charmingly, kissed Benedicts nose, leaned his forehead against Bens.   
"Possibly, but they can’t stand the pace with Benedict Cumberbatch and this guy is lying here with me, after our very hot sex, fucking naked and he’s fucking sexy."   
Benedict's hand ran through Martins hair, over its spine, to its buttocks, he smirked and winked.   
Martin purred, shook himself and then rolled slowly next to Ben, who turned his head and smiled at him.   
"I love you too, Martin!", said he softly and replied Martins loving smile. 

The smaller one of them sat up slowly, fished his T-shirt, made Ben and himself scantily clean, he was to tired to get up, he just wanted to lie down with Ben, for a cuddle and a nap. He balled the shirt and threw it aside, tomorrow he would wash it.


	30. A night in front of a fireplace

The fire flickered, but threatened to go out.   
Martin was still sitting on his knees, he looked to the fireplace and then to Ben.   
"Do you want to go to bed or shall I put more wood on the fire?"  
"I’d like to stay here with you, so it would be great, if you could put more wood on it."  
Martin smiled, stood up slowly and grabbed a few wood pieces, which was lying next to the fireplace.   
Benedict turned to the side, looking now to the fireplace and to Martin, his eyes ran over its body, up and down. He loved Martins body, he had rough edges, a few extra pounds, a little belly, generally not very big for a man, a few wrinkles graced his face, the grey hairs were growing more and more. He wasn’t perfect, but exactly this, let Martin become perfect for Benedict.   
Martin put to the wood on the fire, turned back to Ben and took his own pajama pants, put them on, then grabbed at Ben's head its T-shirt, he pulled it over and grabbed eventually the second blanket that lay on the couch. 

Benedict smiled and waited for Martin, who came around him, sat down and then lay down on the back between Ben and the fireplace. He spread the blanket over both of them and turned his head to Ben. His boyfriend lay on his side, now under the blanket, had an arm below his head, the other wandered on Martins belly. He smiled at Martin, slipped more to him, kissed Martins lips once and then cuddled against him.   
"I’ve never thought that I'm going to have a relationship with a man...and that I would enjoy it so much. At the beginning of those feelings, I thought it's a little crush, you know...everyone is a bit bi...but yeh it's great, it's great that it isn't just a little crush. And yeh...the sex is unbelievable great.", told Martin in a low, soft voice.   
Ben had closed his eyes, smiled to himself and muttered,   
"Same here. And yeh...the sex is awesome. And you are unbelievable, in that kind of relationship. I don’t know how to express it, you show it just with every gesture, every smile and sparkle of your eyes, every kiss and every caress, how much you love me and enjoy it. And I enjoy it as much as you."  
Martin gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead.   
"You also show me every day how much you love me, Benny, and it's great that we haven’t lost our deep friendship. I love it to goof around with you and be able to laugh with you this much.", pressed he a second kiss on Benedicts forehead and murmured against it, "I turn around now, can you take me in your arms...I want to cuddle with you."  
Ben smiled, opened his eyes and nodded. 

They beamed at each other, exchanged a gentle kiss before Martin turned around, his back was lying against Ben’s chest and he was looking into the fireplace. Benedict moved closer, pushing one leg between Martins, his stomach and chest were tight at Martins back, his lips kissed the back of Martins head.   
Martin purred, he enjoyed the warmth of the fireplace on his face and chest, Benedicts body heat on his back.   
Ben's hand slid under the tee shirt that Martin was wearing. His fingers ran over Martins belly, the index finger was drawing figures.   
Martin purred louder, snuggled closer to Benedict, he had closed his eyes and enjoyed every millimeter that he felt from Ben. He had always loved cuddling but Ben make him love it even more, just by its mere presence. More he didn’t have to do to awaken in Martin the desire for cuddling. He could hardly keep his hands off him.   
"Benny?", murmured a voice softly after a while. "May I ask you something?"   
"Of course Martin, what's wrong?", whispered the man behind him in his hair.   
"I wanted to know...what - um, which part did you like more?"   
Ben smiled, kissed Martins head and let his fingers dancing on the belly.   
"I liked both parts, both were breathtaking. I've enjoyed both really much and I don’t want to miss not the one nor the other, but if I have to decide, I select the active part. You in front of me...me on you.", whispered Benedicts voice lovingly in Martins hair. "I hope that I’ve played in your hands, darling."   
Martin smiled, sighed by the caresses and muttered,   
"That plays me a lot in the hands, the first part of your answer, I assume, I don’t want to miss any of it, because both were fantastic. I’m glad your favorite is the active part, because mine is the bottom part, you behind me...you on me."   
Benedict kissed Martins hair again.   
"Perfect.", Ben whispered, stroking with the whole hand Martin's belly, cuddled again closer to him, burying his nose in Martins hair and gently pulled his scent in, he purred, his hand rested now on Martins belly. "If I don’t answer, then I fell asleep.", purred Ben.   
Martin smiled, rubbed his hand gently over Benedicts bare arm.   
"Not bad, can hardly keep my eyes open, love.", muttered Martin wearily and pulled the blanket up over their shoulders.   
Benedict closed his eyes and nodded slightly behind his partner.   
Martin looked into the fire, but his eyes closed again, he opened them slightly, looked to the fire, but his eyelids flickered again and his eyes were closed longer and he fell asleep. 

 

The fire had initially donated heat, but during the night it had gone out.   
Martin had more nestled in Benedicts warming hug, curled almost like a ball. Benedict held him in his secure embrace, warming him. He was used to sleep almost or completely naked, so the fleece blanket sufficed him.   
The half-full wine glasses were still within reach. Last night when the kisses of the two man had become much more passionate, the glasses had been forgotten. Behind Benedict, near the blanket, lay the open bag of gummy bears, which was also not longer respected by Benedict since Martin first passionate kiss last night. The lubricant was lying next to the bag and at the feets of Ben, the boxers and pajama pants. 

On this morning, there was coming not one sunray through Martins windows, the sky was grey, nearly black, there were thick black clouds which were sending a lot of rain on the earth.   
Martin shivered, it was cold, he snuggled, half asleep, closer at Ben, who was still warm and still had his warm hand on Martin's stomach. Martin pushed his cold feet at Benedicts warm legs, trying to warm them up. He sighed when he felt the heat.   
Benedict grunted, pulled his legs slightly away from Martins frozen feet, but Martin followed him, touched again Benedicts warm legs and gave a startled jump when he heard the first thunder outside.   
Benedict flinched with him, not only because of the sound which broke the silence, but also because of Martin's ice-cold feet.   
"Martin!", growled Ben tired.   
Martin was wide awake now, his feet pressed again to Benedicts leg. Also the parts of his arms, which were not covered by the T-shirt were cold.   
"I'm freezing, honey.", muttered he apologetically, "And you're so warm."   
Ben moved closer to him, rubbed gently over Martins stomach.   
"Allow me to wake up a little bit more and then I make fire."   
"Well, all right", said Martin, whose eyes staring into the fireplace. It wasn’t passed a minute as he asked, "Are you awake now?"   
Benedict grunted, then sighed.   
"No!", was the simple answer.   
Martin continued to stare into the fireplace, warming himself as best as could at Benedict, changed again and again the position of his feet and warmed their up on other places of Benedicts legs. Behind him it growled again.   
"Now I'm awake!"   
"That's good."   
Ben shook his head, but a little smile adorned his face, he pressed Martin a kiss on the back of his head and pulled away. When he stood up, Martin wrapped the blanket more over his body.

Benedict reached out and rubbed his eyes, he picked up his shorts and put them on, also his pajama pants, he was looking for his tee shirt until he remembered that Martin wore it. Benedict shuffled wearily to the fireplace, began to make it clean, coated new wood, laid newsprint to it and a fireplace lighter and fired him on.   
Martin had watched him the whole time, when Ben was done he said softly,   
"Thank you, love."   
Ben smiled softly, crouched down briefly and kissed Martins forehead.   
"You’re welcome, nag." He ran his fingers through Martins hair. "I'll go into the bathroom and then I would make me a coffee and then I’ll come back to you ...Shall I bring you some tea?"   
Martin smiled up and nodded.   
"I’m not a nagger!”, smiled he widely. “Yeh, I would fancy a cuppa, honey...you know, if you’re hungry you can make some food what ever you want, you don’t have to ask...and there is some leftover from the tiramisu in the fridge.”, smiled Martin gently.   
"I know that, Martin. Shall I bring you anything to eat?", asked he softly.   
Martin smiled and shook his head.   
"Not really, I’m not hungry...I would eat a little bit with you, if you bring the tiramisu."   
Ben ran his fingers again through Martins grey hair and then stood up.   
"I’m back in a tick.", he winked. 

Martin nodded and snuggled more into the blanket, he watched the fire, heard the rain and the thunder.   
Benedict went briefly to the bathroom, then down to the kitchen, he made Martin a cup of tea, made himself a coffee. In the meanwhile he took out the remains of the tiramisu and two spoons. He settled the things on a tablet and put two bananas on it, before he put also the tea and his coffee on the tablet.   
Martin had sat up in the meantime, the fleece blanket was lying over his shoulders, he saw Benedict in the corner of his eye and turned his head to him.   
"Hey, there you are.", beamed he gently up to Benedict.   
Ben had come to him, had the tablet parked next to Martin and gave him a smiling kiss on the head. He took the blanket from Martins shoulders, sat behind him, Martin was now sitting between his legs. He lay the blanket around his back and also around Martin. His lips kissed Martins shoulder, his body was pressed against Martins back and he hugged him with one arm.   
Martin sighed and leaned back.   
"Lovely. Shall I give you your coffee?"   
"That would be great, honey."  
Martin smiled and grabbed the coffee, handed him Ben and then took his tea, he warmed his hands on it.   
"Awful weather, it would be terrible if it would be raining tomorrow...or a thunderstorm, then you can totally forget the firework.", Martin complained.   
"Did Simon have fireworks?", asked Ben while sipping on the coffee.   
"Yes, these table crackers and otherwise only those boxes that you light once and then they’re fire a few minutes, mostly the people around have plenty of it, so we were just watching." Ben nodded behind him and Martin said softly, "I must also say that I prefer watching anyway."  
“Yeh, me too, I was mostly in London and then we were watching the big firework.", said Benedict and kissed Martins shoulder.

Ben settled the coffee down and asked Martin for a banana.   
"And Simon have always this lead melting game at home, ‘Bleigießen’, you know that?", asked Martin after he had giving Benedict one of the bananas.   
Ben was biting in the banana and shook his head, "mhh mhh", made he and Martin replied, "It’s a German tradition, there are lead figures which you put on a spoon, then you held the spoon over a candle to melt it...then you've to wait and wait and wait, I will not lie...a few hours or until you die, it took so long, it’s annoying...and then you pour it smoothly into cold water...and then maybe it comes out a figure. Amanda and Maureen are totally in love with this game, Simon too. One should then indicate what it is and then you can read what that means for your future. Every time I've only small crumbs, maybe that means that I can’t eat properly. And once I had something that looked like Darth Vader, but I’ve forgotten what the meaning of it was." Martin grinned after his story, put down his cup of tea and took the tiramisu and a spoon.   
Benedict laughed very hard behind him.   
"No, that tells me nothing, don’t know this game...I'm curious." 

Martin smiled and nodded while eating. He enjoyed it to be close to his partner, snuggled against him.   
As their flirting started proberly in the summer, he would never have dared to dream what they have shared and experienced with each other until now.


	31. At Simon's place

For everybody who is interested in pics for the story, here are two pics for the outfits.

http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/martin-freeman-attends-a-gala-performance-of-wonderland-in-aid-of-nt-picture-id499796998  
http://40.media.tumblr.com/63984b394b916bd9ffa9d9ff2d38959d/tumblr_nc428xAYN81rnwoh4o1_500.png

 

Benedict buttoned his shirt, was otherwise already dressed, while Martin slipped into a dark blue trousers.  
Today was the 31th of December and in ten minutes the ordered taxi would come, they had dawdled all day long pretty much and had just made two salads that Simon had ordered this morning without further reasons. Martin had been shopping and Benedict had stayed at Martins house and had prepared the first salad as far as possible. The progress of making the salad was really slow, because the two man weren’t able to kept their hands off of each other. That they had slept very long this morning and that they had cuddled for nearly an hour after waking up, had the day shortened as well. Actually, they were already showered and dressed, but a few seemingly harmless kisses in the kitchen, quickly led to a lot more passionate kisses and this ultimately in unbridled sex in the living room.  
The previous day they had spent very quiet after their breakfast by the fireplace. Actually, they had planned to go for a walk, but the rain hadn’t stopped all day. Benedict had finished his book while Martin had cuddled with him on the couch and had randomly zapped through the telly program. 

"I feel like we did nothing today. It felt like I have spent hours in the supermarket and it took us just as long for two salads, like other people need to make a five-course-menu...", said Martin and looked over to Ben, who was now fully dressed and grinned.  
Martin smiled and buttoned his shirt.  
The lovebite from Martin at Benedicts neck was still clearly visible, despite the shirt collar. Ben looked to Martin and said,  
"Yes, we have completely wasted the entire day, but we just had great sex, so it was worth it."  
Martin grinned and finished buttoning the shirt and grabbed his jacket, pulled it over and came to Ben.  
"Do not complain about your ass, Martin! You've begged repeatedly for more!", grinned Ben and put his arms around a smirking Martin.  
"There is no reason to complain, it was fantastic and my arse is doing well.", winked Martin and reached up, gave Benedict a kiss and stroked over the burgundy shirt at the chest. "Let's put on the shoes, grab the salads and our jackets, the taxi is right there, honey.", smiled Martin.  
Ben kissed Martins lips once and then his forehead.  
"You look good, love.", smiled Ben down at his partner.  
Martin gave him a loving smile, stroked Ben's grey jacket and said softly,  
"You too, Benny." 

The two men went into the hall, pulled on their jackets and shoes.  
Martin lay his scarf around his neck while Ben was wearing it properly.  
They took the salads, and when they went out of the door, the taxi stopped. They walked to the street, boarded, Martin told the address and leaned back comfortably for the next twenty minutes, with the salad on his lap.  
They were both silent, every man looked out of his window, hung by its thoughts. 

Benedicts heart was pounding against his chest, he looked forward to the evening, to Simon and his family, to Amanda and Nick, with his wife and son. His excitement and nervousness grew with each passing minute, but was not comparable to that which had spread in him, as they were eating with Martins family. This weren’t Martins parents, they were their friends, somehow this circumstance made it easier to calm down a bit again. 

Martins thoughts were about the evening, as well. He wasn’t nervous, he was absolutly calm and looked forward to the evening, but he knew that his heart would beat as fast as it was possible, without getting a heart attack, when they would be in Simons house. Actually, they didn’t need to worry about the reactions tonight, anyone who was here tonight had absolutely nothing against same-sex relationships, on the contrary, they even stand up for it, so there was really no reason to be nervous. 

Martin looked to Ben and smiled lovingly as the cab stopped. He leaned forward and paid the cabbie.  
They got out, walked together to Simons frontdoor, each with a salad in its hands, Martin was at the bell, Benedict looked at him.  
Had he not said, in thoughts, that there was no need to worry, that he didn’t need to be nervous - and now the heart beat wildly in Martins chest.  
"Ben...please let us say it as quickly as possible. Let's just exchange an intimate gesture and they know it. A kiss or anything like that, as soon as possible."  
Ben smiled, breathed and nodded.  
"Good idea, but first you have to ring the bell, Martin."  
Martin breathed again and then rang the bell. 

They heard a call from Simon that he would go to the door and not a minute later, it was opened by a beaming Simon Pegg.  
The couple smiled at him, Simon bowed his head, hadn’t expect to see both of them.  
"Oh...what a coincidence that your cabs have arrived at the same time.”  
Martin shook his head.  
"No, no...we shared one."  
Simon stood at the side, allowed them both to enter.  
"Are you specially drove to Martin?", directed Simon his question to Benedict.  
"No...I was there...the whole day."  
Simon frowned, looked questioningly, but then said,  
"Um - well, give me first the salads, great that it does worked out, Nick had to cancel tonight, the little one is sick and that's why they celebrate at home - alone. So we are only five...and Matilda."  
The two nodded, handed him the bowls.  
"I'll take that into the living room...", smiled Simon and was gone. 

Martin looked at Benedict and smiled now,  
"In the next ten minutes our secret is no longer a secret."  
Benedict was infected by Martins smile and grinned,  
"I think so."  
They took off their shoes, hung the jackets on a peg and their scarves and went to the others into the livingroom.  
They greeted all with a warm hug and gave the two women and Matilda a peck. 

Martin stood next to Amanda, Benedict stood near him with Matilda and was chatting with her. He hadn’t heard Simons question what he would like to drink, not even as Simon asked it a second time, after he had served Martin smiling his ordered glass of wine.  
Martin looked over to his partner and this time the next words doesn’t slipped inadvertently over his lips. The only people who spoke were Benedict and Matilda, and then there was a warm and very loving voice to hear.  
“Benny, love?"  
The others looked at him as well as Ben.  
"Yeh? What is it?", asked he gently smiling.  
“Simon wanted to know what do you like to drink, love.", smiled he, his eyes shone as warmly as his voice had sounded.  
"Oh...sorry...the little lady distracted me, I'll take wine, red.", smiled he over to Simon, who had looked curiously to Ben and Martin, as well as Amanda and Maureen. 

Simon took a glass, added the red wine and handed Benedict the glass.  
Amanda smiled to Martin.  
"Benny? Since when do you call him Benny...and love? And since when Benedict doesn’t mind when he’s called Benny?"  
Martin and Benedict wanted to reply when Simon dropped into their words.  
"Wait a minute, guys...you...have to say something, right? There are news!?...When I was at your place Martin, at the beginning of December, Benedict was with you, the whole day, the day before you were on the Christmas market together, you were having breakfast and when I came he was still with you. Then you were sick...not at the premiere and Benedict suddenly away and has constantly looked at his mobile phone. You were also together in the Star Wars movie after Christmas and then you have answered me twice at the same time to a message - this morning and when I wrote you the time we would met tonight...and do not forget, you arrive together, you call him Benny again in a really charming and loving way...and he has a lovebite on the neck!", rattled Simon the facts down and while he counted it all, it clicked finally in his mind.  
It had looked strange the whole time, again this loving 'Benny' by Martin, who had gone to Ben, was now standing beside him.  
Simon opened his mouth in surprise and closed it again, he bowed his head, then smiled broadly,  
"No way! Or...yes? Really?" Simons eyes shone. 

Maureen looked irritated to Amanda.  
"It seems that we have missed something."  
"Exactly the feeling I have.", said Amanda and glanced to Simon and then to the other two men. 

Martin just put his hand on Benedict's lower back, stroked it, smiled softly in the round and then to Simon.  
"There are really some news...to your question – it is what you’re thinking about. Benedict was already with me before breakfast, because he stayed with me the whole night after the Christmas market. We had spent the weekend together. You even caught us almost at...kissing, if you hadn’t announced the pizza in the hallway with your loud voice. The premiere. Actually..." he looked now to Ben, hit him lovingly on his belly. "I told you, you shall enjoy the evening, sweetheart! Why were you looking constantly on your mobile phone!?"  
Benedict smiled gently down at him.  
Martin looked back to the others, the eyes were wide, their mouths were open, the surprise was written all over their faces.  
"Well...anyway, he left the party because he was worried, he drove to me and played my nurse for the whole weekend. We hadn’t invited you, Simon, to the cinema because it was our Christmas date, just the two of us...and our evening we spent in the cinema and an italian restaurant. We have answered you at the same time because Benedict was with me since the 27th, all the time. And for the love bite...that was me, couldn’t hold myself back.", smirked Martin at the end of his story. 

Silence.  
Martin looked at the others - gently, smiled, they knew it and the feeling was indescribable good.  
Amanda tilted her head, smiled, looked at both.  
"You’re kidding...right? That’s a joke."  
Maureen looked just to Ben and Martin and Simon shook his head, turning his wine in his hand.  
"I don’t think so...it all fits very well. Especially the kiss. I knew it!...I knew it, that I have almost caught you with something. But I have absolutely not played with the idea that you have kissed. The whole afternoon was weird, you have called him Benny in a very loving way, you have made ridiculous and strange comments and Ben has tried repeatedly to save the situation. Never, never would I have thought that there is more. You two are together – in love with each other! That's what you wanted to tell us, right?"

The couple smiled and this time Ben answered,  
"We have this ‘coincidences’ not used as an opportunity to make fun of you, Amanda, but it would have been a pretty good prank. Ultimately, it is as Martin said...and yes Simon, we wanted to tell you that we are a couple."  
It was to hear an almost unison ‘Wow’ from the others, their faces half-smiling, half-surprised.  
Amanda sat down her glass, she was smiling and walked over to the two men, she beamed at Martin, took him in her arms and hugged him in a familiar way and whispered into his ear,  
"It's a big surprise, but an incredibly good one. I’m really happy for you.".  
She gave him a peck on his cheek and Martin smiled and hugged her gently before they broke away and she hugged Benedict.  
"You really are always good for a surprise."  
The two men grinned, Benedict replied Amandas hug gently and Simon shook his head, grinning.  
"Jesus...Ben you even told me right in the face that you’ve snapped our little Martin, because I was long away, but I thought that was a joke. We have constantly made jokes about it. Incomprehensible! That are big and great news so shortly before the end of the year. I really like it.", grinned he and went on talking. "But now let's do the raclette and sit down...then we can talk in more detail."  
Benedict grinned widely at him.  
"Sometimes the truth is the best lie, my friend."  
The other grinned.  
Slowly – each of them went to a chair at the table and Simon turned on the raclette. 

"Now we have something great to toast on.", smiled Maureen.


	32. The curious questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's still New Year's Eve and the friends of Martin and Ben have a few questions for their mates.

The raclette was in full swing.  
Martin sat beside Benedict, Maureen and Amanda towards them, Simon and Matilda, each at one end of the table. Fish and vegetables sizzled on the raclette, the little pans stewed under the heat of the raclette in front of them and on the plates piled the differents salads and some bread.  
The atmosphere was good, even with Martin and Benedict, the nervousness was gone, the evening could begin, their first joint New Year's Eve, their first New Year's celebration and the first last evening of a year.  
Ben looked forward again, he was totally relaxed, he knew now he could behave as usual as always with Martin, quite naturally, like a normal couple.

Simon pushed a new pan into the raclette and then smiled over to Benedict and Martin.  
"Well - now we come to the press conference, first question...since when are you two together?", grinned he and the two women looked up from their food.  
Benedict pointed with his left hand to Martin, he had his mouth full with salad and couldn't speak.  
Martin smiled at him, just waiting for his pan.  
"And you say to my mother, that I would eat all the time? Which one of us have the mouth filled with food now, my dear?", grinned Martin to Ben, who looked at him in an innocent way.  
The others watched them amused while Martin turned his head to Simon.  
"You've awakened us with your text message - that you're back in the country, after our first night together..." He looked at the others. "Um - that was not what I meant to say.", chuckled Martin with the others. "I meant that we’re together since the Christmas market date. So, it’s almost a month."  
Simon smiled broadly.  
"We talk about the other things we will talk in the new year, when you have enough alcohol in your blood and without Matilda."  
Benedict raised and eyebrow und smirked, pointed his fork at him.  
"Forget it, Pegg!"  
"The last word has not been spoken!", grinned Simon and then fished out his pan. 

Amanda smiled over to the pair.  
"How did it come to the love confession?"  
Benedict glanced at Martin, who was grinning now and had stuck, very deliberatly, some bread in his mouth and looked as interested as Amanda, Maureen and Simon. One could hear the lauhging at the table and Martin had to pull himself together, chewing extreme slowly and looked still interested to Benedict.  
Benedicts laughter went to a grin, he shook his head with a smile and looked then to Amanda.  
"Can you imagine that I chose him freely?"  
He laughed again with the others, and this time Martin laughed too and stuck afterwards quickly again some bread into his mouth.  
Benedict grinned and said,  
"Um...yeh, we were as stated on the Christmas market, but the weather was so bad that day, a lot of snow, wind and it was incredibly cold. After one little round over the market, we made the decision that we abort that ‘date’...so I drove Martin home. We had said goodbye and then he knocked against my window and asked me if I wanted to stay until breakfast. So we went inside, showered…alone!", grinned he at Simons raised eyebrow. "We had sat in front of the fireplace and somehow we came up with this embarrassing game 'Truth or Dare'...we had played a while...mostly only truth, instead of dare. Eventually I had asked Martin, if he would be in love at the moment...he foolishly said yes, which I didn’t like so much, because I really imagined myself no chance that of all the people I am the one. He didn’t say who it is. When it was my turn again, he took truth and I asked who he would love to kiss, if he had the choice."

Ben made a short pause and Simon grinned over to Martin.  
"Of course you were saying my name."  
Martin laughed, had just emptied his pan on his plate and said,  
"Apparently not, Simon! I have answered to Benedicts hidden Who-are-you-in-love-with-question, with Benedict Cumberbatch and then Benny had just broken the rules and told me to took dare and to do it...to kiss him. And after a very less innocent kiss, I apologized, because I thought he would have expected another kiss, just a peck on the cheek or something like that and no such a horny kiss, but he told me that he had replied to his own question with Martin Freeman."

Amanda bowed his head and smiled,  
"This is such a lovely story! And now you actually cheat on me at least...and that after our wedding. Shame on you, Dr. Watson.", grinned she gently over to Martin, who returned her grin.  
"Yes, I’m a little bit sorry...but you've just shot my best friend and that was not very nice, Mary.", winked Martin.  
They grinned at each other. 

Maureen smiled over to the two men, took some salad and asked,  
"How does all this begun between you two, I mean one has never really noticed that there is more than friendship, because you have a fairly great chemistry. It just seemed like a really great and deep friendship."  
Martin answered again, put his cutlery down and looked to her.  
"Somehow...slowly, a little bit more each day that passed, but since the summer it changed very significantly between us. Our messages and phone calls were sometimes or at least everytime more than just friendly, to be honest...we were flirting pretty much with each other since the summer."  
Martin shoved the next fork with salad in his mouth and Simon grinned over,  
"Perhaps, Amanda and I shouldn’t had showed you all these fanarts about John and Sherlock, it seems that those pictures have inspired you a bit too much."  
Benedict laughed and Martin said with a grin,  
"We will now reconstruct all these pictures."  
"I'm very excited about it, I would love to have the first copies of it.", smirked Simon. 

 

The atmosphere was still very lively at dinner, they took their time and let the conversation wander in other directions.  
After dinner they conferred together all the dishes in the kitchen, as well as the raclette, so they had a little more space at the table. Benedict had already taken off his grey jacket, hung it loosely over his chair.  
Martin came with Maureen back into the living room, took off the jacket, hung it over his chair, too. He ran his fingers over Benedicts nape, who was sitting comfortably in the chair and chatted with Amanda.  
"I'll go out to get some fresh air.", said Martin, smiling in the round.  
Benedict looked up and smiled, caressed Martins arm, while Simon got up and nodded.  
"I'll come with you."  
He smiled softly and together they left the living room. 

Simon took them each a beer out of the fridge and then he went to Martin, who was standing on the porch. He handed Martin the bottle, they chink the bottles, smiled and then drank a sip.  
Pleasant silence. 

Martin enjoyed the cool air, the weather had been much better again today, the sun had shone, it was not very cold, rather quite comfortable. The fresh air was good, he had red cheeks from the heat in Simons house, the oven was on in the living room and then the raclette at the table, all of them together in the living room. He felt very warm.  
He leaned back against one of the wooden beams on the porch, Simon stood in front of him.  
The host put his hand on Martins upper arm.  
"Everything okay with you, Martin?"  
Martin sipped from the bottle, swallowed and nodded. He smiled gently up to Simon.  
"Yes, everything’s alright, mate...but before ringing the bell I almost wet myself.” grinned Martin.  
"Really? Have you been so nervous?”, asked Simon, grinning and Martin nodded.  
"Yes, at least when we stood in front of your door, you scared the shit out of me. Really I wasn’t so fucking nervous in a long time, despite the coming out at christmas in front of my family. Everything was okay until we stood at your door...and actually I also knew that there was nothing to worry about. But when the moment was there, a mild panic set in. I mean, I know that you all support same sex relationships, me too as well as Ben. My God, we all have so many friends, acquaintances or colleagues who are homosexual, bisexual or whatever, they are in a relationship or not, but to say it for myself...was somehow something else. Especially, for Benny and me is it absolutely a new situation, too."

Simon smiled at him, squezzed Martins shoulder.  
"It doesn't matter what we think about it, it is about you and Ben. It does not matter whether we are thinking that this it good or not...you have to be happy that’s what counts in the end. Martin, not that you've got me wrong, I'm happy for you and I'm absolutely fine with the news tonight. It makes me really happy that you love each other and it’s the same for Maureen and Amanda. I just wanted to say that it comes to you, no matter what others might think about it. Don't listen to them, as long as you're happy everything is fine."  
"I know what you mean, Simon, don’t worry. I didn’t get the impression that you are in shock or in a bad mood because of our surprise. I know what you mean, and you're absolutely right, but yeh one start to worry a bit. I never thought that I would think or worry about something like that. I had never intended to say Ben something about my feelings for him."

Simon bowed his head, looked questioningly as he drank his beer.  
Martin turned his beer bottle in his hand, looked at Simon and then to the bottle.  
"I didn’t want to do something that could damage our friendship, I didn’t want that because I didn’t want that my feelings changes the chemistry we have and I was really afraid. I was afraid that exactly that would happen, if I tell him that I’m in love with him, that I’m love with him romantically and not in just a friendship way. We have already talked about it, Simon...you know that I have experience with men, although it is a long time ago, but I never had a relationship with a man, I couldn’t imagine to have one beforehand and then suddenly out of nowhere there was Benedict, a really handsome bloke... somehow my own feelings made me fear, it was unusual...and I would have never thought that Ben feels the same way. I've hoped, but I hadn’t believed it, not one second."

He looked up again to Simon, casually, who held his beer in his hand and smiled at him.  
"Yes...I, personally, couldn’t imagine a relationship with a man. Nevertheless, it's great that it has worked and that you two aren’t unluckily in love now. And I can imagine that it is a very new situation for both of you, I mean in any new relationship, there is a first kiss, one exchanged first caresses...sex...it is all different and new to exchange that with a new partner. For you, everything was new, to share it with a man instead of a woman."  
Martin nodded, took a sip, he paused while he let his gaze wander through Simons garden and then he smiled to the host again.  
"Yeh, right...it was new...and some things were strange and unfamiliar, but I thought it would feel more strange, you know what I mean? I don’t know how to describe that. I had excepted that the first kiss...the first caresses would be unusual, really strange, but it was not, it felt as if it had always been like that - to feel a beard, rough lips during kissing.", smiled he sheepishly. "It was all very nice and naturally, comfortable with Ben."  
Simon smirked gently.  
"Everything?", grinned Simon, he knew Martin would understand the question and Martins grin told him that he was right.  
"Okay...THAT was one of the things that were very unusual...and shortly also uncomfortable."  
Simon smirked widely, he was curious.  
"Has it been worth at least with Cumbers?"  
Martin laughed and punched him gently in the stomach.  
"Why are you asking such questions? I won’t start talking about sex with Cumbers, I won’t tell you that it is the best sex I ever had. It’s not late enough for that kind of talking...and my alcohol level is not high enough.", winked Martin with a shyly grin.  
Simon grinned broadly, the answer was good enough. He rubbed his stomach with one hand.  
"Since when such a prude?"  
"I’m not a fucking prude. But it’s not your fucking business, whether my sex life is good or not and when I have sex.”  
"Oh, mate?...That sounds like you already have had sex today.", grinned Simon. 

Martin grinned with blushed cheeks.  
"No comment!"  
"This is a fucking yes, Martin. Literally a fucking yes.", smirked Simon.  
"Let's rather go inside again, it gets cold. Save your questions for later, when my alcohol level is too high, so that I will not remember tomorrow that I have give you all the answers."  
Simon laughed and looked at Martin's beer.  
"I can give you a new bottle, you’re my guest. I have a lot of beer and you know wine, Scotch, Gin Tonic...Baileys anything you like." 

Martin laughed and pressed him back to the door.


	33. A happy new year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The New Year's Eve party went on with a lot of crackers and confetti.

From the living room one could hear Maureen and Matilda laughing, the two joked around while Benedict and Amanda were still talking at the table. They has both a glass of wine and a similar conversation, as Martin and Simon.

Amanda smiled as the two entered the living room again, Simon smiled at her and sat down again. Martin smiled also, came with the beer in his hand at the table, ran his free hand gently over Ben's shoulder and gently a bit on its chest.  
Benedict smiled, turned his head slightly backwards.  
"Hey." He puts his hand on Martins, which lay on his chest. "You've ice-cold fingers. Did you want to freeze you out there?"  
Martin smiled, closed his eyes briefly, enjoyed Benedicts warm fingers.  
"Actually, it was just very pleasant. What’s with you, don’t you feel warm? ", asked Martin gently and Ben shrugged his shoulders.  
"At the moment it’s very pleasant." 

Simon and Amanda smiled at each other before they watched the pair again.  
Martin smiled, slightly bent down, leaning his cold cheek against Benedicts, nestled gently against it. He enjoyed the warm feeling and the scratching of Benedicts beard on his skin.  
“Firstly – cool down and then warm up with me again?"  
"Exactly.", purred Martin with his cheek on Bens, he liked the slight scratching of the beard very much.  
Martin placed a kiss on Benedicts cheek. It was the first kiss they shared this evening, his heart beats faster, so far they hadn't kissed each other in front of other people, that his mother had seen them kissing in the dining room he didn’t know - he hadn’t noticed.  
Ben smiled at Martin after the kiss, turned his head more to him until he could look at him. The couple smiled gently, they shared a loving, short kiss on the lips before Martin broke apart and sat down in his chair. He crossed one leg over the other, drank some of his beer and then looked at the other two people. 

Amanda smiled happily over to the two men. She was very happy for Benedict and Martin, had always felt that the chemistry between them was very special. It made her really happy to see them together in that way.  
Simon smiled and looked to Ben, who turned slightly to the others, sitting in his chair, his legs were also crossed and one hand he has put on Martin's shoulder.  
"Your wine is almost empty...do you want a beer then?"  
"Yes, that would be great...but you don’t have to stand up, I can go myself."  
"No, no...I'm not such a horrible host as Martin and let the guests go to the door for the pizza, so I can secretly make out with my wife."  
In addition to the music, the laughter of Matilda and Maureen on the couch, one could now also hear laughter from the table.  
Martin rolled his eyes, he laughed, put his beer down and said,  
"That will you mentioned the rest of my life, right?"  
"Of course, did you expect something else?"  
"No, everything else would be very surprising."

Benedict ran his fingers from time to time over Martins shoulder while Simon had stood up to get a beer for him.  
The four sat comfortably at the table, were talking excitedly with each other. Benedicts fingers stroked still gently over Martins shoulder, who had laid a hand on Benedict's thigh. 

 

Maureen and Matilda joined them again and in the background was playing music, on the table were now a lot of snacks – salty and sweet, the glasses were refilled again.  
The lead-pouring wasn’t ther this year, because Nick wanted to bring it.  
Since a while they were busy with the table crackers.  
Maureen hadn’t tinkered the crackers this year, all the crackers were bought. She wanted once again a little surprise and see which gadgets were hidden.  
There was quite a bit of confetti on the table and in front of the table.  
Simon had a pirate patch and a plastic sword in his cracker. He had the eyepatch on his left eye, with the plastic sword he joked with Matilda, who sat on his lap, laughing. She had, like Amanda a hat and mask, however, they were different in appearance and colour.  
From Maureens cracker only paper streamers had come out and confetti, plus a small whirligig. 

Martin and Benedict were the only ones, who hadn’t pulled at their crackers. They kept Benedicts cracker in the hand and pulled on it.  
The confetti sailed on their pants and something else landed in Benedicts lap. He chuckled at Martin, put the cracker parts on the table and fished the object from his lap.  
"What's that?", asked he and looked at it, opened it and Matilda beamed over to him.  
"A stamp! Are you making me one on my hand, Ben?", asked she brightly and held her hand to Benedict.  
Ben smiled at her, leaned over Martin to Matilda and pressed her a red penguin on the hand.  
"One for daddy?", grinned Benedict and Matilda nodded and grinned with him.  
"Yeeees, on the hand and and also one for mum and Amanda." 

Simon grinned, just like the others and Martin was glad that he was spared. Benedict pressed Simon, Maureen and Amanda the penguin on the back of their hands and then smiled at Matilda.  
"And uncle Martin?”, asked Benedict with a sassy smile.  
Martin turned his head to Matilda, smiled gently and charmingly at her and saw her cheeky grin.  
"Yeh also one for uncle Martin! But on the cheek because he was naughty, he tickled me."  
She showed Martin her tongue and grinned.  
Martin grinned and pointed with his finger to her, a big grin on his lips.  
"No cuddling until the next year!"  
"That's not long, just a few hours." She shrugged grinning her shoulders. 

The others laughed and Ben looked at Martin with a raised eyebrow, put his hand on Martin's cheek and pressed the penguin gently on its other cheek. He broke apart, looked at him and shook his head. He put his hand to the other cheek and said,  
"This looks creepy and unbalanced, honey."  
He chuckled and Martin knew what was coming, he felt the mark on his right cheek and looked at Benedict with a softly grin.  
"Okay love, now it's your turn before you’re doing more nonsense with it."  
Martin grabbed the stamp, waggled with his eyebrows, he was grinning – a naughty grin.  
"Do you trust me?”  
Benedict grinned and shook his head.  
"Not a second!"  
Martin laughed and looked at the stamp and back to his partner, then he gave him one stamp on the forehead and one on the nose. He grinned to Ben, put down the stamp and breathed a kiss on Benedicts mouth.  
Ben shook his head, grinning.  
"I knew it! Now take your cracker, we all want to know what is in it."  
The pair grinned at aech other, the others laughed. 

The atmosphere was relaxed and natural. Martin enjoyed it, he felt very comfortable, even with the kisses he had shared with Ben in front of Simon, Maureen, Matilda and Amanda. His blue eyes sparkled lovely over to Ben. He couldn’t resist, leaned again to Ben and gave him a tender kiss before he grabbed his cracker and held out the other end to Ben.  
They pulled it and the next charge confetti sailed on the table and their laps.  
Martin looked down and fished the blue object from his lap, it was a children's watch with a bear face at the center.  
"Oh great, a new watch, perfect!"  
He grinned and made it around his free wrist.  
"That suits you very well, Martin.", grinned Amanda.  
Martin returned her grin and felt Benedicts hand in his lap. 

Shortly thereafter, the room was filled with Bens deep laugh.  
The others looked irritated at him, Benedict was holding something in his hand, something that was also flown from Martins cracker, he laughed and his eyes filled with tears.  
Martin looked at him, he grinned irritated.  
"What are you laughing at?"  
Benedict tried to calm down, breathing briefly, the subject lay in his closed hand, he looked at Martin and the others.  
"I believe that this cracker was specially produced for Martin, the second article fits him perfectly."  
He continued to laugh and opened his hand, in her lay a stick-dark mustache.  
The others looked at Benedicts hand, began to laugh and Martin hit a hand in front of his eyes.  
"That's not true!"  
He shook his head, grinning, his hand was still in front of his eyes and he heard Benedict's voice.  
"Come on, John...it will suits you very well!" 

Martin took his hand from his eyes, Ben held the mustache and Amanda chuckled,  
"That would be the perfect photo tonight."  
Martin shook his head in disbelief, took his mustache, put it on, what made everyone else laugh even more and Amanda came around.  
"I’m sure that this looks even more ridiculous than the other one from the set. Especially with these penguins in my face.", said Martin, while Amanda stood behind him and Benedict slipped closer for the picture.  
The three made a selfie, Amanda's cheek was lying on Martins, Benedicts against Amandas, they all smiled at the camera.  
After thee picture was taken, they began to laugh again and Martin removed the mustache.  
"Is the picture Twitter suitable?", asked she the couple smiling and they both nodded.  
While Amanda tweeted the photo with the headline ‘New Year's Eve at 221b Baker Street’, Benedict got up and disappeared into the bathroom. 

Martin ran his fingers through his hair, leaned back comfortably and drank some of his beer. The laughter had ebbed slowly, it was quiet in the room again and the music was again heard more clearly. They had their conversations resumed, they had led before the crackers and as Martin heard Benedict coming back again he stood up.  
Ben smiled at him, put his arms gently around him.  
"Want to grab fresh air again?"  
Martin smiled, put his arms around Benedict.  
"No...I want to use the bathroom."  
Martin kissed briefly Benedicts chest through its shirt and then pressed against him. Benedict kissed Martins head, bent down to his ear and whispered,  
"When you were outside earlier, was there everything okay with you?", stroked he softly Martins back, felt him nod and then heard his whisper,  
"Yes, it's all fine, I felt just really warm. Are you alright? ", nuzzled Martin his cheek more to Benedicts, his eyes were closed.  
He loved this beard, the scratching and slight tingling on his cheek.  
"With me everything is alright, Martin."  
His partner nodded, broke apart a bit, cupped Ben's face with both hands and gave him a soft kiss. Benedict closed his eyes, replied Martins kiss. He felt how Martin broke slowly away and opened his eyes. Martins hand ran over Benedicts belly and his warm voice was heard again,  
"I'm going to use the toilet."  
Ben smiled and nodded, looking shortly after him and then sat down at the table. 

When Martin came out of the bathroom again, all the others were already in the hallway, they put their shoes and jackets on, a scarf or a cap. Simon went out together with Benedict, they brought a tablet with the filled champagne glasses and the orange juice for Matilda onto the porch and Simon put the box with the firework onto the grass in front of the proch.  
Martin looked at the others and Matilda smiled up at him, hugged him gently.  
"Ben has already brought you your jacket...it hangs there with your other jacket."  
Martin smiles down, stroked her hair.  
"Thank you sweetie."  
She beamed up and then went out with Maureen.  
Martin took his jacket, pulled it over, slipped into his shoes and took his other jacket off the hook. He smiled at Amanda, who was waiting for him. He pulled the jacket over his shoulders, came to her and took her to the porch. 

Martin had his arm around Amanda, Simon reached them both a glass of champagne. Martin rubbed gently over Amanda's back and pulled away.  
"I’ll give you back to Matilda."  
He winked, she smiled at him, made a few steps to Matilda and put her arms around her.  
Martin turned to Benedict, slipped an arm in its jacket and put his arm around its back.  
Simon looked again at his watch.  
"Nearly there..." He was still looking at the clock and then was heard a ‘Now!’ and they all started together.

“10 - 9 - 8 - 7 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1" 

The next thing to be heard was a colourful Happy New Year and the popping of the first fireworks. They all clinked together before Simon turned to Maureen, Matilda turned to Amanda and Benedict moved closer to Martin, he put his glass and Martins on the table beside him and took his partners face in both hands.  
Benedicts eyes shone warmly down to Martin, who had wrapped his arms both under Benedict's jacket behind its back. He beamed up to Ben, came closer to him. Even Ben leaned slightly down at him, closed his eyes slowly and then put his lips gently to Martins. 

The kiss was tender, slow and loving. Martin sighed softly into the kiss, lost it - completely.  
He loved it, in general, loved it to kiss Benedict or to be kissed by him, whether it was a short kiss or a very passionate. But with this kind of kisses, his heart beats faster, this kind of kisses let tingle his stomach, let his knees went soft and chased him each time a shiver down the spine. Benedict hugged him, felt Martins tongue, he parted his lips and returned his kiss tenderly. Their kiss was gently until they slowly broke away from each other and Ben put his cheek against Martin, he brushed his cheek gently over Martins. He had noticed how Martin did it often and might like it if his beard scratched its cheek.  
Martin pressed closer to him, let his eyes closed, murmuring softly in Benedicts ear,  
"Happy New Year, Ben."  
"Happy New Year, Martin.", whispered Ben softly.  
Martin pulled away slightly, put his hand on Benedict's cheek and kissed his lips once more before he slowly pulled away from Benedict. 

The others had wished each other a happy new year and had waited for the couple, they also wished them a happy new year before Simon lit the fireworks. 

 

In the sky a lot of colorful sparks were seen, figures popped everywhere, no matter in which direction on the sky one looked, everywhere was another beautiful firework.  
Amanda came to Martin, who put an arm around her shoulder and squeezed her gently. Amanda smiled at him and put an arm around him, looked up to the fireworks and said,  
"It's nice to see you both as a couple. We both knew each other for so long Martin, but I never saw you happy like this in a relationship. It's great to see you shine like that. I have the feeling that you’re finally find your home, when I see you with Benedict and I like that very much."  
Martin glanced at her, smiled and then looked up again.  
"It feels like home and you're absolutely right...in my previous relationships I've never been so happy. It’s crazy that it is a man who makes me that happy."  
"Not only a man, it’s Benedict, his female fans will hate you a little bit, because he is no longer available."  
They both grinned at the sky.  
"I can live with that.", grinned Martin. 

Benedict was coming over, he put an arm around Martin's belly, the other hand on Amanda's shoulder and squeezed Martin a gentle kiss on the head.  
Martin sighed at his light embrace and kiss, pressed his back more to Benedicts torso.  
Amanda smiled briefly back to Benedict.  
In the sky were a few rockets to see, but gradually it became less and less.  
Maureen was already inside, just brought Matilda to bed, Simon came to his friends and stood behind Amanda, next to Benedict.  
They watched the last rockets before Amanda and Simon purely went inside. 

Martin turned slowly to Benedict, stood on tiptoe and kissed him affectionately. His hands cupped Benedicts, squeezing them gently.  
Ben sighed softly into the kiss, running his thumb over Martins cold hands.  
They broke the kiss slowly, Martin sank back to the ground, pressed Benedicts hands and beamed up.  
"I love you darling, the first few weeks with you...even if we haven’t always seen each other, were incredibly great and I am really looking forward to the new year with you. We have both an incredibly busy schedule, always on the go...but it's nice to know that we will return this year for Sherlock."  
Martin reached out again, blew Ben a kiss on the cheek and hugged him lovingly. 

Benedict brushed his cheek slightly over Martins as he said,  
"I have also enjoyed these past few weeks with you, it was nice to share all these things with you for the first time and got to know you again in a different way...you're a great partner. I'll miss you quite often this year...but I still looking forward to the new year with you...and I’m also very pleased that we will have more time for us during Sherlock.”  
His scratchy beard cheek continues with its caresses and Martin moaned, he snuggled his cheek more to Benedict.  
"I love that.", murmured he softly.  
“I've noticed that, you do that always when I am not shaved."  
Martin smiled, snuggled his cheek even closer.  
"Hmm I’m a little bit obsessed with it...you could do that all night...but I’m getting cold, so can we go back inside?”  
Ben smiled, nodded, breathed a kiss on Martins cheek and then pulled away. He took Martins hand back in his and they walked the small piece purely to the door and back inside. 

 

The night was still quite funny and enjoyable, they had made themselves comfortable in the living room, the music was still running in the background, but was not really heard by the volume of the talking and laughter in the room. They had emptied several bottles of wine and beer, Whiskey had also been drunk.  
Amanda was the first person who had ordered a cab shortly before 4am.  
Martin and Benedict still celebrated and continued drinking with Maureen and Simon, who had fortunately forgotten by his own alcohol level that he wanted to elicit Martin a few intimate details.  
Shortly after 5am came the ordered cab for Benedict and Martin and they said goodbye yet warmly at the front door, thanked for the evening and went together to the taxi.  
Martin gave the cabbie after the third attempt his correct address and then leaned back, closed his eyes and ran his hand through his hair. He was completely drunk and the man who was hanging beside him in the seat and massaged his temples, was drunk too. The trip went back in silence, not because they were both in thoughts, they were both just too exhausted and too drunk.  
The cabbie stopped after about twenty minutes in front of Martin's house and smiled back. Martin reached into his jacket pocket, but Benedict has held money to the driver and said,  
"Keep the change."  
The man smiled and nodded.  
"Thank you, Happy New Year yet."  
They both nodded, wished a happy new year and then got out. 

They threaded their way to the door, Martin fumbled the key into the lock and then entered with Benedict.  
"Bloody hell...the bed will be a fucking carousel.", muttered Martin and slipped out of his shoes.  
"Yeh...whirligig." Ben agreed, slipped even out of the shoes, hung the scarf and the jacket. Martin looked at Ben.  
"Let's go to sleep, I just want to sleep."  
Ben nodded, followed Martin, who had already started walking while talking. 

The only thing they undressed in the bedroom were the jackets, after that they fell as they were into the bed, Martin crept slightly below the blankt while Ben remained lying on it, they were facing each other, looking at each tired yet, exchanged a strongly of alcohol tasting kiss before Benedict muttered,  
"Wish you a nice carousel ride."


	34. The hangover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Headaches, feeling sick and deep thoughts about the future.

Martin hadn’t been able to answer, he had the feeling that the bed was moving and he was too tired to bring even a sound over his lips.  
When he awoke later, turned with a groan on his back and slowly opened his eyes again it was really bright in the bedroom. He turned his head to the alarm clock, which indicated 12:44pm, he put his hand over his eyes, it was too bright, he had a headache and he felt sick, besides, it was damned uncomfortable in the button-up shirt and the trousers. He had drunk too much, too much various alcohol last night and not only that, it was quite the bowle that Simon had fetched from the kitchen, that bowle had just been too much.  
He felt completely battered to death, tried to call the evening and the night in his memory and was glad that he could remember anything, at least he hadn’t the feeling that he have forgotten something. The main thing was that they had behave themselves in the taxi and according to his memories they had, except that he had said the wrong house number to the driver - twice - how embarassing. 

Martin sighed and then heard Benedicts voice beside him, who was awake but with eyes still closed, like he had fallen into bed.  
"Headaches?", muttered the deep voice hoarsely.  
Martin muttered back,  
"Yep...huge headaches...I feel sick... I feel as if I had been run over."  
"That’s Simons Bowle's fault.", muttered Ben, planted a kiss on Martins upper arm and slowly opened one eye. "Do you still remember the cab ride?", asked he hoarsely.  
Ben could remind of the evening, the party, drinking, but for all that what had happened after leaving Simon's house, there was only one black hole in his memories.  
"Um...I couldn’t recall my own house number, otherwise we have hung in our seats like two drunken gits...and you have paid. He wished us a Happy New Year. Incidentally, we have forgotten the dishes at Simon’s."  
Benedict sighed with relief, then opened the other eye.  
"What dis...oh yeah - the salad bowls...hmh true. We or you can pick them up the next few days."

Martin nodded and sat up, looked down at Ben.  
"Do you want to come with me in the shower? I need to get out of these clothes and above all I need something for the headache."  
Ben looked up and nodded.  
"Yep...go ahead...I need to teach my body how to move. I’m with you in a tick, love."  
Martin smiled, caressed Benedict once gently on the hair and then stood up. 

Martin made his way to the bathroom, peeled off the shirt and the rest of the clothes and threw them in the laundry basket. He took two tablets against the headache out of a drawer, filled two glasses with water, took a tablet and a water glass, the other one left he with the second tablet for Benedict.  
He looked in the mirror.  
He had deep dark circles around the eyes, wrinkles from the pillow in his face, who joined the other wrinkles, he already had anyway. The grey hair stuck out in all directions. He muttered something under his breath, went rather to shower than to look further in the mirror and turned on the water.  
The water roared firstly down at him - cold, he squinted, waiting for it to warm up. 

Benedict came trotting into the bathroom, he withdrew from his clothes, put the stuff aside and heard Martin's voice.  
"There is an aspirin and some water for you, honey.”  
Benedict smiled wearily at him, followed Martins finger and then went to the glass and the tablet, took both and then came to Martin under the shower.  
"Thank you sweetheart.", muttered Benedict.  
Martin nodded, leaned his forehead on Benedicts chest, put his arms around Ben's naked body, the water ran down his body.  
"You get a kiss after we have brushed our teeth...we both smell like a very awful mixture of beer, wine, bowle, whiskey and brandy."  
"Agreed.", muttered Ben, hugged Martin and enjoyed the warm water. 

They both stood there for a while, only the water rushing down on them, they were silent, holding each other before they washed and got out of the shower. They tied both a towel around their waist, went to the sink and brushed their teeth.  
Martin felt a little better, if he was honest - only fresher, but that was a good start. He stroked Benedict's bare chest, blew a kiss on it and then looked up to him.  
Ben smiled down, stroked Martins still wet back, the other hand he put on its hip. He leaned down a bit, gave Martin a kiss on the wet hair and got a second kiss on his chest from Martin. The smaller one looked up to Benedict with questioning eyes.  
"Getting ready and tea and coffee?"  
"Getting ready...and then tea and tea.”  
Martin smiled and nodded. 

He broke away completely from Ben, dried himself properly and then went to the bedroom.  
After they get dressed they made their way to the kitchen.  
Benedict took two cups, two tea bags, milk and sugar, while Martin sat on the kettle.  
"Do you want to eat something?", asked Martin with a rough voice.  
Benedict looked at Martin and shook his head.  
"Nah, not now, I'm glad when I get down the tea.", smirked he and Martin grinned knowing, he nodded,  
"Same here...you know you can help yourself when you’re hungry later."  
"I know Martin.", smiled Ben and stroked Martin over its back, who just poured the water in the cups. 

Martin leaned against one of the kitchen drawers, waiting for the tea.  
"I’ll never drink alcohol again – that’s what I’m thinking right now...but one will do it again, just like Christmas, one say that one will never eat again and in the morning you’re hungry again."  
Benedict smiled, ran his fingers through his hair and rubbed his eyes.  
"Yeah, totally right, but the party with Simon was great."  
"That's right, it was really great, it was nice to have you there as my partner, I've really enjoyed it.", smiled Martin and took the tea bags out of the cups, made the tea ready and stroked Ben over its belly before he took his cup and sat down on one of the bar stools.  
Benedict remained at the kitchenette, took his cup in one hand and smiling over to his partner.  
"I agree with that. Has Simon squeezed you out when you two were at the porch?"  
Martin smiled and then chuckled,  
"A little...he just wanted to know if everything is okay. Eventually he came to intimate questions, but I haven’t really answered and meant that he should be asking me later, when I have so much alcohol in my blood, that I won’t remember the next day, but he hadn’t asked later, I think that he was too drunk.”, sipped Martin his tea. 

Ben grinned,  
"Amanda has retained these questions, we probably had such a similar conversation."  
"Yes, Amanda was very happy for us. But the first kiss - I was really nervous...it was weird to kiss you in front of others."  
Benedict smiled and nodded, he came closer to Martin, put down his cup and put his arms around Martin, who still sat on the stool.  
"Yes, it was strange to be watched."  
Martin put down his cup.  
"The other kisses weren’t strange anymore and now we are alone again..."  
"Are you asking for a kiss, Martin?"  
"That's what I meant.", smiled he charmingly.

Martin put his arms around Ben. Ben stood between its legs, they were now on the same high and Martin ran his nose over Bens. They looked at each other, blue met greenish shimmering eyes. Ben smiled, slowly closed his eyes and locked Martins lips in a loving kiss. Martin pressed his legs gently at Benedicts hips, kissed him back. He ran his hands down Benedicts back, laid them gently on its buttocks and pressed Ben closer. His legs were now wrapped around Ben's hips, he deepened the kiss and felt Benedicts hands on his back, they were stroking with pressure to his shoulders and then he gently took his face in both hands. Martin sighed into the kiss, pressed Ben closer with the legs and hands and leaned himself even more into the kiss. Benedict purred, ran a thumb over Martins cheek and broke the kiss slowly.  
He leaned his forehead against Martins, opened his eyes and smiled. Martin looked lovingly at Ben, breathed him a kiss on the lips and slowly lowered his legs. One hand stroked Benedict bum, the other stroked its hip.  
"Let's go into the living room. Just make ourselves comfortable and get rid of the hangover?", asked Martin.  
Ben gave him a quick kiss and nodded.  
"Yes, that’s fine with me, I’m not able to do more than that today.”, stroked he Martins cheeks, removed his hands and rubbed gently over the thighs of his partner. 

Benedict took the two cups and went with Martin into the living room. He put the cups on the coffee table and went to the bookshelf to seek out one of Martin's books for reading.  
Martin, meanwhile, was busy with the fire, he heard his partner sat down groaning into the arm chair. Martin turns his head to him and saw how he lay the legs on the stool.  
He came to Ben, gave him a kiss on the hair and then went to the sofa. 

Martin lay down on his back, closed his eyes and breathed. One hand put he under his head, the other on his stomach. He remembered of his tea, which was just half empty and stood on the coffee table, but he didn’t want to move again. He was incredibly tired, had the feeling that he hadn’t slept. His ears heard only the faint crackling of the fire and Ben when he turned the page, these noises made him even more tired and relaxed and shortly thereafter he noticed nothing around him. 

When Martin woke up from his nap, he felt the warmth of the fireplace, he let his eyes closed, heard the cracking and Benedicts turn of the pages. He felt a slight weight on his body, felt with his hand afterwards and felt the fleece blanket. Benedict must have covered him in the meantime.  
His lips hovered a smile.  
Benedict – what a lovely gentleman. He wanted to thank him, but his mind wandered deeper. Deeper to Benedict, their relationship, the evening with his parents, the evening and night with their friends. It made his heart beat faster, his stomach tingle again. Until both unpleasant tightened as his thoughts strayed to their next appointments. Benedict would have to return to the set of Dr. Strange on Tuesday, today was Friday, that means that soon hundreds and thousands of kilometers would separate him from Benedict. He missed him already, despite the fact that his partner was sitting diagonally behind him, probably very comfortably in his arm chair, reading. 

Martin thought about the next days, he wanted to enjoy the last few days with Benedict, spending time with him, but every idea he had had a bitter hook. They would pretend as if they were just friends, although they were so much more. He swallowed, it was not that he wanted to hold hands every single minute or kissing him senseless every five meters, but he wanted to be able to look like a normal couple, to behave like normal couple. He wanted to hold his hand, stroking Benedicts back, give him a kiss or be hugged by him.  
But that wouldn’t be possible if they would continues like that, when they always think about how people would react in the streets or whether their fans would like it or not. Hadn’t Simon said it wouldn’t matter what others think, the main thing were that they both were happy and that they were.  
He was happy, as happy as never in a relationship that he had previously. If there was a word he associated with Benedict then it was 'home'. 

He opened his eyes, sat up slowly, turned to Ben. He sat sideways on the sofa, the blanket on his lap, the arm lay on the armrest of the sofa, he looked at the man with whom he felt more at home than anywhere else.  
"Benny?", broke Martin the silence.


	35. A grumpy bastard, but a lovely one.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coming out in public or not, that's the question. Will it be their first argue or another agreement?  
> Let's find out.

Martin looked at the man with the book in his hands, as he looked up slowly, a loving smile on his lips and how he said softly,  
"Well, awake again, honey?"  
Martin smiled over, nodded slowly.  
"Thanks for the blanket." He ran his hand over it and Ben nodded with a smile,  
"You’re welcome Martin. I think you wanted to ask me something?!"  
Martin looked at him, watched Benedict as he tucked the bookmark between the pages, shut the book and put it on the table.  
"Yes - well. It's about us, our relationship...don't look like a scared mouse, honey. I don’t want to bring bad news. I just wanted to say that I enjoy it very much, I mean I’ve told you that last night. Well, it’s great to experience and discover all these new things with you and it was great that we had had so much time for each other since we are together. But...it's um - that you're on the road again in a few days...and me as well, in Puerto, then we don’t see each other for a while and I would love to enjoy the last few days with you as my partner...here...and also in public. I love my job...just like you're loving it...but I have no desire to act in my private life...and to pretend that you're just a friend. You're so much more than just a friend and I would like to have you here, with your family, my family, our friends and...anywhere else in the world as my partner. Let us please stop with this silly hiding game, Benny."

His partner was no longer sitting so comfortably in his chair as at the beginning of their conversation, he sat there straight, his feet were back on the ground, his face became serious.  
Martin bowed his head, looked how the looseness of Benedicts posture and his facial features had disappeared.  
Benedict looked at him, he was tense and each additional word from Martin had made him only more uncertain and tense. So far it was all absolutely remained in their privacy, which he hadn’t a problem with, but the thought to show it in public, scared him.  
"I...Martin...I don’t know if I want to. That's different than it is to tell that our families and friends. I...can’t...Martin. I get cold feet, I don’t know uh...I mean not for our relationship, absolutely not, I don’t doubt that...not one second. I love you, but the idea to make that public just scared me. You know one picture of us is enough...and all people will know it."

Benedict scratched his head, breathed, saw Martins disappointed facial expression, his eyes had lost all shininess, were weak and showed that the answer has hurt him. It was clear that he had expected a different answer.  
Martin said nothing, so Benedict continued.  
"Sorry...love, I just can’t. I'm probably thinking too much...but I don't feel comfortable with it. That's our private life, Martin...just the two of us. I don’t know how to deal with it, the fans somehow frighten me, it's stupid, because they have nothing to do with our love life, but that let me get cold feet somehow. I know we both know how much they all want a love affair between John and Sherlock, but we are not John and Sherlock. You're not Dr. Watson...and I’m not Sherlock Holmes. You're Martin and I’m Benedict, that’s something else...I’m scared that when we come out...that there wouldn’t be good reactions."

Martin looked at him.  
"You...it...Benny, I can’t say that I am perfectly calm with it, nor was I when we came out in front of our families or yesterday. But we have managed it. I know what you mean with John and Sherlock...and that it is possible that they wouldn’t like it with Benedict and Martin. But the fans aren’t the people with whom I share my bed or a relationship, that's just you. I'm happy to have fans, to have such great fans...without them our job wouldn’t work, but in my love life, well that’s not their business. There are only you and me. I don’t want that our love for each other and what we do in public depends on whether they think it's great or not. It's enough for me that I know that you love me...and I love you."

Benedict ran his fingers through his hair.  
"I know Martin, I know that it is stupid to be worried that much or thinking about it that way. But I can’t turn it off...I just can’t. I know you expect a different answer, but I can’t give them."  
Martin breathed, silent, looked around the room, he didn’t know what to say. It hurts him, felt like rejection, even if it wasn’t. He knew Ben loved him, he told him every day, directly or in other words, with gestures, with looks, but it hurt, the answer hurts so much. He would never force or push Ben in a situation he would feel uncomfortable with, it was their first relationship, or at least the first relationship with a same-sex partner and Martin really hoped it was the last one. It was a we and us, it was a together, he had to accept the answer and respect it even if it was hard. 

His gaze wandered back to Ben, he wanted to smile, did it, at least his lips, but his eyes showed clearly that he was sad and hurt.  
"Benny... it is okay. You're right, I was expecting your agreement...but if you're not ready for that, than it is okay. I'll wait until you are. This is something we will decide together. It's okay."  
Benedict looked up at him, bowed his head, looked questioningly.  
"Is it really okay for you?"  
"Yeh...I respect your answer, it is hard...but I'll just wait for you."  
Ben looked uncertainly.  
"Are you sure?"  
Martin nodded, sat even more tense on the sofa.  
"Yes, I’m sure Benny."  
"Really? I don’t want that you're somehow mad about it."  
"I'm not mad, honey."  
"Not mad? It really is fine between us, despite my answer?"  
" Yes... it's all ok between us."  
"Are you sure? I don’t want that you just say it and than you’re mad with me. I don’t want that there is anything bad betw..." 

Martin cut off his words,  
"Shut the fuck up! Bloody hell, Benedict!", said Martin annoyed and loudly.  
He sat with a tense posture on the sofa, he was bugged because of Benedicts questions.  
"Can you finally stop asking me if I'm sure, for fuck's sake!?" Martins tone was serious and annoyed, his facial expressions reflected the same.  
"You're mad with me.", murmured Ben and Martin tried to breathe, closed his eyes, put his index finger and thumb to his nose.  
"Yes, in a tick I will be really mad with you! I told you that it is okay, repeatedly! Which 'it is okay' and 'I'm not mad with you' didn’t you understand?" Martin's voice had become unintentionally louder and he looked again to Ben.  
"I just wanted to ask."  
"It is enough if you ask me that once, Benedict! I told you it is OKAY, so it is okay! I don’t want to repeat myself constantly! Again just for you - It. Is. Okay. and I'm not mad because of your answer! Did you now fucking understand it ?! Or do you need a hand-written statement from me?! That's fucking annoying."

Benedict looked up at him, his lips drawn into a thin line, he was silent.  
Martin looked at him, closed his eyes again, breathed.  
He opened his eyes, ran his fingers through his hair, looked at Ben again, cleared his throat, then said,  
"Jesus, I’m sorry Ben. I didn’t want to be such a grumpy git. But your questions bothered me. I'm sorry."  
Martin looked at him, gentle, he got up, put the blanket on the sofa and came to Ben. He stood in front of the arm chair, stretched out his hand and stroked Benedict's cheek.  
"I want to say something...and then we’ll stop talking about this subject...I don’t want to argue with you.", said Martin with a soft voice.  
Ben looked up, closed his eyes at Martins contact, nodded and said,  
"I’m sorry as well. Sorry Martin...I just don’t want that you bottle up something."  
He felt how Martin sat on his lap, his knees were on the right and the left of his thighs. 

Martin put his hand on Benedict's chest, fingers were playing with the sweater.  
"Yeah, you’re right, darling. It hurts me, your answer, it hadn’t made the impression that you would feel so uncomfortable with it. That's why I expected a different answer. I love you Benny, you're incredibly important to me, not only as a friend but also as a partner in life. I just want to enjoy the days that we are able to spend together, without having to give up anything, not a kiss, not a hug, not a lovely word or a hand holding time. As much as I want that, it is more important to me that you're also feeling comfortable with it. I don’t want to force or push you in a situation you’re not feeling well with. You have concerns, so I'll be waiting - for you. It's okay, I accept your answer and respect it. You said, there is now not just a you and me, but also a we, a us...and that's a decision we should make together and not one alone. I'm really not mad at you, sweetheart. This is a big step, precisely because we stand so much in public. I’ll wait for you. Are you ready, let me know - I am."  
Martin stroked over Benedict's chest, breathed a kiss on his temple. 

Ben put his arms around Martin and gently pushed him in.  
"Thank you Martin, thank you...I really don’t wanted to hurt you or make you sad."  
Martin cuddled his cheek against Benedict.  
"It makes me sad that you’re going on Sunday night back to London and that you’re flying away on Tuesday. I don’t like that.", said Martin and snuggled closer to Benedict, made sure he felt as much as possible of him. "I miss you already, probably a bit to much."  
Ben patted Martins back and murmured softly,  
"I miss you too when I think about it, even though you tried to cuddle me to death at the moment." Ben chuckled softly and felt Martins smile.  
"You can still talk and breathe, so you are alright."  
Ben grinned. 

Martin snuggled even closer and Benedict murmured again with a smile,  
"I love you Martin, I really love you, please don’t doubt that. My love for you, has nothing to do with the decision, it is just my stupid head that makes me get cold feet."  
Martin nodded, his eyes were closed and he muttered,  
"I don’t doubt that you love me, just give me a sign, if your feet are warm again.", he kissed Benedicts cheek again, then cuddled up on him again. 

Benedict gently stroked Martins back, said nothing, let his thoughts wandering. He was sorry, incredibly sorry that he had to give Martin not the hoped response. He had seen in his eyes how much it had hit him, how much it had hurt him. The bad conscience grew and yet he was relieved that he had Martin told the truth. They would have had nothing of it, if he would now give the answer Martin hoped for, although he himself is not feeling well with it.  
Ben's hand stroked gently over Martins back, Martin drew a purr before he pressed his face against Benedicts neck.  
Shortly after that, Benedict heard a muffled murmur on his neck.  
"Sorry again that I become so loud and annoyed, rude and grumpy. I was hurt and then you still ask all the time. It was not fair what I’ve done. I really didn’t wanted to raise a quarrel. I’m a grumpy bastard."  
Benedict smiled softly, kissed Martins head and looked at him.  
"I think that wasn’t the last disagreement. Who knows how much we’ll fight with each other, that now was really completely harmless and you’re a grumpy bastard, but a lovely one, honey." He smiled gently, winked at Martin and stroked through its hair. "Let's stop now with the subject, okay?", asked Benedict after kissing Martins nose.  
His partner smiled softly and nodded, gave him a satisfied kiss before he snuggled back at him.


	36. Farewell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to say goodbye.

The rest of the weekend the two men actually hadn’t raised the issue.   
Martin was waiting for Benedict, he knew Ben will think about it and let him know as soon as he felt safe and comfortable with it.   
On Saturday Simon had come over, he had asked whether he should drop off Martins salad bowls together with Maureen, Matilda and cake. The couple had affirmed and they had spent the afternoon together with Simon and his family. In the evening they had ordered takeaway, ate comfortably and afterwards decided to go out. They were running to a pub and fortunately had moved to a quiet corner. As friends they had spent the rest of the night there, drinking a few beers, eaten a bite and having a good time before they were strolled back to Martins house. 

 

Now Benedict sat on the arm chair, his bag was already in the hall, it was a Sunday night and time to say goodbye.   
Martin stood in front of the chair, from which Ben was about to get up, he pushed him gently back in the arm chair, sat on him, his knees beside Benedicts thighs, hands on his shoulders.   
"Is it okay if you go after sex and a shared shower?", asked Martin and raised an eyebrow.   
Ben bowed his head and smiled,   
"If you are offer me sex with you, I’ll stay a bit longer.”   
He put his hands on Martin's hips, ran his hands under Martins sweater and pushed him quite a bit upwards.   
Martin smiled down and raised his arms, took off the sweater and began to unbutton Benedicts shirt.   
"I love it when you are wearing shirts...but during sex it’s annoying.", whispered Martin to Ben and slowly rubbed at Benedicts lap.   
"Umm Martin, you’re just too impatient.", purred Ben, enjoyed the rubbing, moving his hips a little with his partner. 

Martin sighed, rubbed more as he unbuttoned Benedicts shirt. He didn’t bother to strip him, he wanted to ran just his hands over Benedicts naked torso. He ran his thumb over Benedicts lips, bent down, let the thumb slid slowly from its lips, closed his eyes, nibbling at Benedicts lower lip and then kissed him hungrily.   
His kiss was returned passionately, his partner ran his fingers over its bare back, prior to the jeans, opened the belt and the button.   
Martin rubbed more against Ben, moaned into the kiss and let ran his hands over its chest.   
Ben moved his hips as best as he could, together with Martin, enjoyed the rubbing extremely and groaned. His pants were already uncomfortably tight, that rubbing turned him on, as well as this uninhibited, wild kiss. He growled in disappointment and wanted Martin to move back into the kiss when his partner broke it. 

"I have to get rid of the trousers, Benny..." Martin stroked Benedict's belly, stood up, pushed pants and shorts down, saw how Benedicts eyes scrutinized his body, down to his erection.   
This morning on the sofa Benedict had already watched him with his lustful eyes, had let his hands ran over any part of Martins body, those lips had kissed him like there's no tomorrow. The thought of sex this morning let Martin get even harder. He saw Benedict in front of him, as he had been lying under him, moaning under the caresses. Ben hadn't been able to stop his moans and other noises until he had begged for sex and Martin had fulfilled his wish slowly and tenderly.

He leaned back to Benedict, stroked with pressure over the bulge in its trousers, looked at him with dark eyes. The man under him groaned, put his hand on Martin's neck and dragged him further down to his lips to kiss him again wildly and unrestrained.   
Martin moaned into the kiss, ran his hands over Ben's chest and opened its pants. The man in the arm chair raised his hips slightly and Martin shoved thw pants and shorts down - far enough that their got stuck in the Benedicts knees.   
Martin sat down on Benedict, he pushed his calves and feet under Ben's thighs, leaning his hands on Bens shoulders and moaned together with him, as they rubbed their erections together. 

They had solved the kiss, rubbed against each other, groaned louder, Benedict pressed his hands on Martin's hips.   
"Thank goodness that the lubricant is already here.", groaned Martin.   
He tried to slow down his hips before he came only by that and whispered into Benedicts ear,  
"We should buy a second one...as often as we don't make it to the bedroom."   
Ben groaned, slid deeper into the chair.   
"Oh yes...we should do that."   
Benedict grabbed the lubricant, which was on the table beside the chair, opened it and squeezed something in his hand.  
“Here?", asked Ben and Martin nodded excitedly.   
"Yeh, I’m not able to wait any longer, not even to slide on the floor. Please Ben, I need you so much, do something." 

Their hips moved slowly, their erections were rubbing against each other.   
Martin lowered his lips back on Bens, felt Ben hand on his ass as its fingers gently stroked, massaged, repeatedly over his entrance.   
Martin moaned, sighed and purred into the kiss, felt Benedicts hand with the lubricant slowly slid between his buttocks into his hole. He bit Benedicts lip, then sucked himself against Bens finger, he needed friction.   
Martin was completely relaxed, he loved this sex too much. He felt Benedicts finger as he moved and suddenly there was a second finger, scissoring him.   
Martin broke the kiss, let Benedicts fingers slid in deeper, titled his head back with closed eyes, groaned with pleasure.   
Benedicts other hand massaging Martins buttocks, while he moved his fingers.   
Martin looked down, grabbed the lube, squeezed a bit in his hand and let the tube fall to the ground – carelessly.   
They looked at each other, in their eyes shone an ultimately desire.   
Martin clasped Benedicts erection, looked him straight into the eyes. His boyfriend groaned, then bit the lower lip, pressed his head more in the back of the chair.   
"Oh God...MartinMartin...oh yes." 

Martin stroked his hand up and down with a twist, raised his hips, let Benedicts fingers slide out of his wet hole and sank instead very slowly on Ben's erection, took him bit by bit.   
His head was titled back, his eyes were closed, his hands pressed again in Benedict's shoulders and his loud groan mingled with Bens.   
He took a few moments, ran his thumb over Benedicts collarbones and then began to move. They groaned again, Benedicts hands grabbed Martins arse, squeezed it once. After that he let his hands ran over Martins hips and the sides up, scratching the back with his nails downwards, grabbing Martins bum again. 

Martin groaned loudly, moved slowly up and down but intensely, his own erection rubbed repeatedly over Benedicts belly, he closed his eyes, squeezed his hands more into Benedicts shoulders.   
Ben gasped, moaned, purred and let come more hot sounds over his lips. Martin loved these sounds and get even harder.  
"Oh Fuck...not a good idea, to try now a new position.", moaned Martin indignantly.   
He moved on at a faster pace and enjoyed to get what he needed without having to beg for it.   
Benedicts hands massaged Martins butt again and his voice moaned rough,   
"Why not?"   
"Oh god - Fuck that's too good...I can hardly wait to repeat that. And now, you horrible bastard just leave me alone...to play superhero. Fuck, Jesus. Ben.", moaned Martin.  
Ben groaned, cupped with one hand Martins erection. He stroked gently but quickly down and with pressure and a twist up again, the thumb drove circles on Martins tip before the hand stroked down again.   
"When I'm ready with playing superhero, we repeat that as often as you wish, love." 

Martin groaned, pressed a hand now in the back of the chair, tried to cling therein. He let his pace become even faster and harder, he wasn’t able to slow down, because of Benedicts lustful moans and the pleasure that he gets from Bens cock in his arse.  
Martin rode them both nearer to the climax. His hand struck repeatedly against the back of the chair, the other pressed in Benedicts shoulder.   
"FuckFuckFuck... I can’t hold back any longer Benny...I can’t."   
Benedict's hot and hard erection in his arse and then those beautiful hands, which he loved so much, massaging on his buttock, the other at his erection, were too much. He couldn’t hold back, he let go, put his head back, moaning lustfully Benedicts name and came in Benedicts hand and on his stomach and chest, felt and heard as Ben came with him, as the orgasm also overran him.   
"Please don’t stop.", whispered Martin down to Ben, who had become slower and more tenderly with his hand movements.   
Benedict looked up, groaned with pleasure, as Martin moved on slowly and gently, rode them both tenderly through their orgasm. 

Benedict ran his hand up Martins spine, over the shoulders to its chest. He ran his fingers back and forth, then tenderly along the neck, until he put his hand gently on Martins cheek.  
Martin put his hand lightly on Benedicts shoulder, drove with the other gently in Bens hair, playing with it and looked deep into his eyes, still enjoying the feeling of Benedicts decelerating hand movements and the tingling of his body.   
His gaze was returned lovingly, Benedicts thumbs stroked over his cheek, then gently over his lips, their movements stopped and their breathing slowly calmed down.   
"Wow.", murmured Ben softly, closed his eyes briefly, as Martin kissed his thumb "I’m glad that you've coaxed me for sex."   
Martin smiled gently down.   
"Coaxing? Jesus Ben, I just...mentiond the word sex.", smirked Martin in a charming way.   
Ben chuckled.   
"I'm trying to make it heavier next time."   
"And you think that will work?", grinned Martin with a raised eyebrow.   
"No.", laughed Ben softly with Martin.

Martin ran his hand through Ben's hair, bent down to him, gave him a kiss on the lips and breathed against those awesome lips,  
"Let's take a shower...and then we bring the big farewell behind us...it won’t get better if we wait any longer.", said Martin softly.   
They stood up an Ben slipped his shirt from his shoulders, got out of his trousers and his shorts and collected the stuff.   
"Okay...let’s take a shower together, honey." He breathed Martin a kiss on the temple and followed Martin then into the bathroom. 

He let his clothes fall back to the ground, then entered the shower with Martin.   
The hot water rushing down, they swept their hair back and looked at each other. Ben smiled gently, put his hands on Martin's shoulders, massaging it gently. He missed Martin already, he had become so used to his presence in the last days. He get used to so much things with Martin, he loved it to sleep next to him, to cuddle with him or to keep him in his arms, to wake up with him, even to cuddle or to make love, to kiss him, talk to him. 

Martin closed his eyes, enjoyed the massage, trying not to remember that they would see and hear each other just over FaceTime. He didn’t like it to be separated from someone he loved, eventually he was rather at home than anywhere else, no matter how much he loved his job. Well, at home he was happy, felt most comfortable and the word home now belonged also to Ben.   
He drove his hand over Benedicts back, leaned forward and pressed a kiss on its chest. Martin swallowed and then cleared his throat.   
"Let us stop, please...we are clean and fresh and I want this first big farewell from you finally have behind me, or I'll never let you go.", said Martin.   
Martin pulled away from Ben, who nodded gently and stroked over his cheek. 

They got out of the shower, dried themselves, Benedict rubbed his hair dry and dressed himself proberly.   
Martin went briefly into the bedroom, took shorts, a T-shirt and even his pajama bottoms, it was late at night and he wouldn’t do much more than watching telly or relaxing on the sofa.   
He went down to the hallway with Benedict, watching him when he putting on his shoes and jacket, as he grabbed the scarf and the bag. 

Benedict turned back completely to Martin, smiled and put his arms gently around him.   
"I hope you have a nice week until you fly to Puerto.", kissed he Martins forehead and Martin smiled up.   
"Yeah...and you have a good flight on Tuesday and we have the first real big hassle if you don’t call after landing in NYC.", smirked Martin and dug his fingers gently in Benedicts chest.   
Benedict grinnend at him.  
"Don’t worry, I’ll call you or text you on Tuesday...and even before Tuesday and after that of course. We’ll text and facetime as often as possible." Ben leaned down, kissed his partner lovingly and murmured to his lips, "Stay nice and don’t be rude, love.", smirked he softly.  
Martin smiled against his lips and kissed him again.   
"I'll try it..." 

Martin kissed again Bens lips and then heard Ben muttering,   
"I love you Martin, in mid-february we see each other at least for two days."   
"I love you too Benny and can’t wait, even if it is a short visit."   
He gave Ben one last kiss, smiling at him.   
Ben smiled, breathed Martin a kiss on the temple and then opened the door, he winked softly and stepped out.   
"Bye honey."   
Martin smiled softly at him, came all the way to the door and nodded.   
"Bye Benny." 

They exchanged a last smile, one last loving look, before Benedict went to the car and Martin let the door quietly fall into the lock.


	37. New York - San Juan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Benedict is in New York City, shooting for Dr. Strange. Martin on the other hand is back in Puerto Rico - San Juan, to shoot Start Up.  
> The only way to see each other is the FaceTime function on their IPhones.  
> And they hadn't just used it for a nice chat over the past four weeks.

It was strange at first, to sleep alone again and the time that Martin had spent at home before he departed from London, was unusually quiet. 

Benedict had called after landing as promised and Martin had written to him as he had arrived in Puerto Rico for almost a week later.  
The good thing about their current shooting locations was that the time difference was only an hour. They were able to talk after a long day with each other without waking up the other in the middle of the night. 

They had talked every day via FaceTime in the past four weeks, which had passed since Ben's departure. Martin had looked forward to that call every night, even if it was sometimes after midnight and he could barely keep his eyes open. But Benedict's lovely goodnight, was enough for him on these days.  
At the weekend they had called each other in the morning, otherwise sent photos and texts throughout the day. It was often nothing special. Only that they were sitting in the mask, just had lunch, had to wait or that they were with colleagues in a bar or out for dinner. 

Martin was happy about every message from Ben, and if it was just some smiley that Ben had constantly sent to Martin, since he had discovered it.  
It was a dragon and the only thing Ben wrote every time he sent this dragon was ‘Raaawr’, and each time it conjured a smile on Martins face.  
He missed Benedict, even if they wrote every day, were able to see and hear each other through the FaceTime function. It wasn’t the same as to feel him.  
He missed Benedicts hugs, his caresses, kisses. Likewise, the sex with him, even if his fantasies about Ben were good enough for a wank in the shower or in bed and the phone sex they had had last night was fantastic. All he wanted was to feel him proberly again. His warm skin, feeling his fantastic hands wandering over his body, caressing his back, running through his hair and his lips that made Martin forget everything. 

Martin couldn’t wait to see him in two weeks, only for two days, but it was better than nothing.  
On Saturday he would fly back to London, as Benedict, on Sunday they would be at the BAFTAs, as they were invited as presenters, on Monday evening Martin would fly back to Puerto Rico and Benedict would stay in London, to continue the shooting for Dr. Strange. 

It was Friday night, more precisely already 11pm, he had been out for a drink with a few colleagues and had showered.  
He rubbed the hair dry and hung the towel on a peg at the door. Then he shuffled over to the bed, pulled on a casual tee and a fresh boxershorts and collapsed into the bed.  
He was totally exhausted, the day had been long, tiring, he had back pain and felt even older than he was. He closed his eyes, the phone was lying next to him.  
Just one minute, he thought, just a short rest for my eyes, nothing more. 

 

Martin startled from the ringtone of his mobile phone, his heart raced like a maniac, he rubbed his eyes, opened them slowly and pressed them together because of the light, which was turned on. He picked up the phone, opened one eye and wanted to answer the call, when he saw Benedict's name, but he pressed accidentally the wrong button.  
"What a crap.", growled he and rubbed his eyes again.

He recalled Benedict and leaned the phone against a pillow.  
Benedict sat in his bed, was leaning against the wall and has wet hair, he beamed to Martin, who was lying sideways in his bed.  
“You are a little bit wishy washy today, at first you push me away and then you call me.", chuckled Ben softly.  
Martin smiled wearily and apologetically.  
"Sorry darling...I had closed my eyes for a few minutes and then I startled because of the ringing...Ooooooh...I've probably closed my eyes a bit longer. Jesus I was asleep for an hour, it's shortly after midnight, at least in San Juan...", said Martin softly, as his gaze wandered to the clock on the bedside table. He looked back at Ben. "Good to see you." 

Ben smiled and nodded.  
"It’s nice to see and hear you, love. How was your day? You look pretty exhausted."  
"It was just a bit too long today and exhausting. I am glad that the day is over. How was it with you, my superhero? ", smiled Martin lovingly.  
"Long day, but it was okay, the others went out for a latenight dinner and a drink, but I have enough for today. And you wanted to hear and see me and comparing food and Martin, you've won.", smiled Ben.  
He had already eaten enough today and until breakfast he would endure without a midnight snack.  
"I’m a lucky one. And you were probably showering or where did you get wet hair.",  
smiled Martin, yawning.  
"There were more advantages on your Pro and Con list...yes I was showering, a few minutes ago...you too?"  
"Yeah, before I fell into the bed...take a shower with you is better, Benny."  
"That’s exactly what I’m thinking...but you were in my thoughts during the shower session, if that helps you somehow.", smiled Benedict with a raised, eloquent eyebrow.  
Martin grinned softly, and also raised an eyebrow.  
"Oh, then we have probably done the same thing, I thought about you in the shower, too.", winked he and they both grinned afterwards. 

Martin ran his fingers through his hair and smiled.  
"So you say you were just under the shower and have used me for your filthy fantasies...then that is now cuddling after your wank, or what?"  
Benedict laughed and nodded.  
"Something like that, cuddling after wanking, but cuddle with the phone isn’t fun, which is even smaller than you...and at least you're not so thin and...I don’t want to say hard, otherwise your mental cinema would be running even more. It’s just better to cuddle with you."  
Martin laughed, squinted his eyes softly, his lips hovered a loving smile.  
"So you're saying that you can cuddle better with me, because I’m short! and chubby!?"  
They laughed again and Benedict shook his head.  
"I didn’t want to say that. I want you like you are, not a bit taller, because I love my little Martin and even the few pounds more on your rips. This has nothing to do with fat or chubby."  
Martin chuckled softly, beamed into the camera.  
"That means that I can eat more?"  
"Yes you can, honey.", grinned Ben.  
Martin grinned back impudently,  
"Good. You’re not allowed to eat too much...I really like your flat chest and stomach."

Ben grinned at him, shaking his head.  
"You're unbelieveble."  
"You also Benny. Joking apart, you are incredibly great, I love you too and I'm looking forward very much that we see each other in two weeks, I can’t wait to be in your arms again."  
"I'm also looking forward to see you Martin and then there are only a month and a half until we return for Sherlock and see us again a bit more, imagine you would now shooting the Hobbit. "  
"That would be a shit, I mean I was such a long time away from home, nearly eighteen month, except for the short time that I had been released for Sherlock and the Christmas time.", said Martin.  
"Yes, and we haven’t seen each other often when I was on the set."  
"That's right, most of the time you were in your little chamber, playing a baddy, psychotic dragon...but you've visited me on my last day of shooting.", beamed Martin.  
“And I was very happy that you liked my surprise."

The two men smiled at each other – gently.  
Martin rubbed his face.  
"Honey?...Can we talk later? It’s a real effort to keep my eyes open."  
"Yeah that’s okay, just call me when you're awake. Sleep well darling, I love you."  
Martin smiled softly.  
"I love you too, wish you a good night, love."  
They smiled at each other again before they disconnected. 

Martin put the phone on the side, crawled under the covers and turned over on his back, he raised his hand, pressed the light switch, which was near the bed. It was dark and he closed his eyes. He allowed Benedict to appear in front of his closed eyes and his voice in his mind.

 

Ben put his phone on the bedside table, slid into bed, he turned the light off and snuggled under the covers.  
He lay on his side, his eyes open.  
Martin - he had known he would miss him, but that he would miss him so much hadn’t he expected. To say that he was lovesick was too much, but finally it would describe it probably pretty good.  
In the last weeks before his departure, he had become so used to Martins presence, that he was there, that he could cuddle him, kiss and hug him whenever he wanted. He had fallen asleep next to him, woke up with him. Now that all was missing for four weeks and two weeks more, before they met again for two nights.  
Valentines Day. 

He turned over on his back.  
Valentine's Day.  
He needed a present, it wasn’t, that he make a huge deal ot that day. After all, one should show his partner not only on Valentine's Day that you are in love with them. Finally it was in a way, a special day in the year. And he wanted to show Martin also on that day that he loved him, unconditionally.  
In no other relationship he had felt so loved.  
Martin make him laugh every day, that hadn’t changed in their relationship. Martin managed it still with incredible ease, even when his day was terrible or he was angry, upset or just not in the mood to laugh, every time Martin conjures him a smile on his face.  
He had been incredible as a friend, had always been there, had taken care of him. Something that hadn’t changed in their relationship, though, it had changed, Martin had become even more loving, attentive, he was interested, was willing that Ben was fine and supported him whenever he could.  
Even Benedicts uncertainty to the public, had he accepted, respected it, gave him time, as much time as he would need. There was no insistence, he was understanding, even though Martin wanted it so much, to have Ben wholeheartedly as his partner in life - everywhere. 

Benedict sighed, he hoped he could give Martin almost as much as he got from him.  
Martins behaviour overwhelmed him.  
He closed his eyes, saw Martin, his smile, his shiny eyes. Benedict smiled, he was happy. Nothing better could had happened to him as this terrible weather on the Christmarket evening. That had start the ball rolling.  
With a smile on his face, he fell asleep. 

 

The next morning, Martin called, they talked to each other until they were too hungry and made their way to breakfast.  
Faster than thought, the last two weeks of filming has passed. The departure back home was imminent and Martin was happier than usual to finally be back home.


	38. Valentine's Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They are both back from their work locations. Back home - Back in London and Potters Bar.  
> Today's Valentine's Day and they spent the day together until they must get ready for the BAFTAs.

Out of Martins bedroom came pleasurable sounds. Deep groans, mingled with lustful sighs and enjoyful purrs. Mainly, the noises left Martins mouth. He lay on his back, pressed his head into the pillow, his eyes were closed, his back arched, one hand lay on his stomach, the other clutched at his bedsheets.  
From Benedict was not much to see, only the dark hair peeped out from the blanket that covered his shoulders and all the rest of his body as well as Martins legs. Since he was awake, he was busy to kiss every inch on Martins body, to lick it with his tongue and to nibble especially at the nipples. However, since a while he devoted all his attention to Martins erection. His tongue ran pressure circles on the tip, slowly licked Martins full length down, about his testicles, he pressed with one hand its hips and ran his hand slowly upward. The tongue licked again Martins glans, before he took Martins erection again in his mouth and gently scraped down with the teeth. 

Martin groaned loudly, previously he had almost reach the orgasm with harmless caresses from Ben and now this man had brought him twice really near to his climax, he was so close that Martin was ready to let go. But Benedict had stopped, had kissed his lips, whispering loving things in his ear and only carried on as Martin no longer gave the impression that he would come at the next very intimate contact.  
Martins hand trembled on his belly, as well as his legs, with his free hand he drove in Benedicts hair. He drove erratically through it, then clung therein.  
"Ooh Jesus. Ben! Please don’t stop...Fuck. Please don’t stop again.", begged he Ben with a panting voice. 

Benedict had his own erection in his fist, gave himself redemption while he sucked Martins erection with the lips, the teeth, the tongue, quickly and intensively. He let his tongue sweep over Martins tip.  
"Oh, yes. Benny. Go on, go on. Just like that. Fuck, that's fantastic.", groaned Martin immensely aroused.  
He moved his hips, a thing that let Benedict moan lustfully.  
The vibration of Benedicts moan was enough for Martin, he thrust again in Benedicts hot and wet mouth and then he came. He arched his back, clutching his hand in Benedicts hair, the other in the bedsheet. He groaned loudly, several times in succession Benedicts name, his legs trembled. 

Benedict took everything, swallowed, then continued with the licking – gently, as he rubbed himself to his orgasm.  
He loosened his lips and tongue, licked his lips and groaned loudly and lustful as he reached his climax.  
"Ohh Martin!", groaned Ben again and again with relish. 

Martin looked down at him, he ran his fingers through the dark and soft hair of his partner, his fingers trembled as much as his legs.  
Ben opened his eyes slowly, savoring the tingle of his body and the decay of the orgasm, he looked up, smiled when he saw Martins indulgent expression and slid back up to cup Martins lips in a gentle kiss.  
Martin rested his hand in Benedicts hair, put the other on its back, purring into the kiss and returned it. He tasted himself and Benedict, lovingly bit his partners lips and felt Ben snuggling closer to him. 

They broke their kiss slowly, opened their eyes and looked at each other gently.  
"You can’t torturing people you love on Valentine's Day.", smirked Martin gently, tried to calm his trembling legs.  
"Oh come on...you've totally enjoyed it, every second of it. You can't deny it, you love it when you can beg during sex.", chuckled Ben lovingly.  
"Absolutely right. And there's no better way to start the day, as to feel your lips in this way all over my skin."  
Ben smiled, pressed Martin a kiss on the lips and ran his hand gently over Martins hair on the side.  
"I hope I will still look as hot as you with grey hair."  
Martin smiled, his cheeks were slightly flushed, he had enjoyed Benedicts compliment.  
"If not Benny, it's not so bad, then I have less competition.", winked he lovingly.  
Ben chuckled softly breathed him a kiss on the cheek and murmured,  
"Let's go take a shower? It's getting late."  
Martin smiled and nodded. 

 

The two men had stood up, had showered and continued their cuddling there.  
Yesterday, both of them were out of order, they were too exhausted from the fly back home. Martin was indeed already back home in the morning, but they were a few thing that he had to do.  
Benedict had landed in the afternoon, then he had at first drove to his house, had left his bag there, had taken fresh clothes for today and was then driven to Martin.  
They both had had a huge jet lag, had ordered Italian takeaway, had ate it on the couch and were then fell into bed. 

After the shower they made breakfast and called Simon, whose birthday was today and who spent the weekend with his family in a short weekend vacation.  
Later, they wanted to go to Ben and get ready for the presentation at the BAFTAs. They would spend the night at Benedicts place and Martin would fly tomorrow afternoon back to Puerto Rico, for two more weeks, then a quick visit to New York for Jimmy Fallon and the premiere of Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. 

Their dishes were empty, also their cups.  
Benedict and Martin had washed the dishes by hand, Benedict now dried the last cup.  
Martin smiled up, stroked gently Benedict's back, kissed lovingly Benedicts arm through the sweater and murmered softly,  
"We must go into the bedroom again, Benny."  
Ben placed the dry cup on the kitchen counter, put down the dish towel and looked questioningly down to Martin.  
"Why?"  
"Because your Valentine's Day gift is in the bedroom and I can’t bring it down.", smiled Martin softly.  
Benedicts questioning face turned into a smile.  
"Then let's go...then I can give you mine also upstairs."  
Martin smiled, stroked Benedict's arm and took his hand.  
"Let's go..." 

Martin led Ben in his hand slowly upstairs. He had thought long about his gift for him, hadn’t want to give him just flowers or a dinner. They could go out for a nice dinner as often as they wanted, it would’ve been nothing special. Ultimately he had chosen something really personal and hoped Ben would like it.  
His heart was racing, actually he had been sure with the gift, but now he was excited, unsure if it was the right gift.  
When they were in the bedroom Martin let go Benedict's hand, he went to the foot of the bed and sat down slowly, looked gently up to Benedict, who was still standing in the middle of the room.  
"Your gift is there...", pointed Martin a finger at the four-drawer-dresser.  
"First drawer?", asked Benedict gently and Martin nodded. 

Ben smiled and bowed his head, he went to the drawer, knew there were Martins boxers and some T-shirts in it, which functioned as undershirts.  
He opened the drawer slowly, looked into it, but didn’t find the expected things.  
The drawer was empty.  
The boxers were gone and the white, black and grey T-shirts were disappeared as well.  
All that was left was a single key, which lay on the bottom of the drawer.  
He bowed his head, in his mind it rattled, he took the key out, turned it in his hand, his eyes were looking at the key. He pushed his eyebrows irritated together, continued thinking. 

Why was the drawer suddenly empty and what was with this key?  
Benedict turned him further in his hand, studied him.  
The key had no special form, was not old, quite the contrary, he looked fairly new, silver.  
It was a normal key, a key as you used it for an apartment or a house door.  
Benedict opened his eyes, sucked in his breath and stared at the key.  
A front door key. Martins front door key.  
An empty drawer in which lay the front door key of Marins house, and that key now belonged to him?  
Its own drawer? 

Ben slowly turned to Martin, had the key in his hand, he swallowed, his heart was racing and Martin looked at him uncertainly.  
"This is...a key to your house.", murmured Benedict and Martin nodded, looking up to him.  
"Is...the empty place...the drawer, do you have it emptied for me?"  
Again, only a nod, then he heard Martins breathing and then he said in an insecure voice,  
"Yes...so, um, the drawer is only a symbolic thought...that you can spread yourself here a little bit more, if you want. So you don’t have to bring a bag everytime you’re here, you’re welcome to pack a few things in the drawer...or hang it in the walk-in closet."  
Martin swallowed, looked more to Ben and cleared his throat before he spoke again,  
"That...well, that shouldn’t mean that you have to move in here tomorrow, I just want you to know...that you are always welcome...and well...that you can come over at any time you want.", pointed Martin to the key, then scratched his head. "Well...I hope you like it." He cleared his throat. 

Benedict swallowed, he was touched, incredibly touched. He put the key on the dresser and walked slowly toward Martin, he crouched in front of him, put his hands on Martins thighs. His eyes beamed up to Martin.  
"Wow...Martin...wow, that...it’s amazing, there is no better gift you could have give to me, it's absolutely perfect. To know that I can come over to you at any time, that’s great and it’s great to know that you want to spent more time with me, that you want to see me more often."  
He raised his hand, put it on Martin's cheek, ran his thumb over it.  
His partner looked down at him.  
"I was afraid that it is too fast for you, I was afraid to push you and I don’t want to do that, you know that...so if you’re not feeling well with it, because it’s to fast, then it’s okay. You don’t have to bring your things or use the key, if you don’t want that. You know I'm waiting for you until you’re rea..."  
Benedict had put his finger on Martins lips. 

Martin was silent and looked with big, uncertain eyes down to Benedict.  
"Shhhh. You've been thinking too much, love. The gift, this key and the drawer, really honey, it’s perfect. Absolutely perfect. You’re not pushing me into something Martin, on the contrary you are incredibly patient with me. I am extremely happy about this gift. I know you would never force me to something I don’t want. I know you give me as much time as I need to make me feel comfortable. And that’s when we come to your gift. I can’t give you something. Nothing physical I mean. Except maybe me, it's more something ideationally. My gift to you for Valentine's Day is...that I am your partner in life today at the BAFTAs. Tonight and the days that will follow. Every day, as long as you want to have me by your side."  
Ben put his hand back on Martins thigh. 

Martins heart almost cracked at Benedicts words. It was racing like crazy, he felt his hands were shaking, otherwise he just sat with an open mouth and big eyes, motionless on the bed. He was speechless, had to swallow several times.  
They hadn’t spoken about that issue since their little dispute on the New Year’s day. Martin hadn’t raised it, he didn’t want to argue with Benedict and didn’t want to give him the feeling that he would urge him there, regardless of his feelings. He had wanted it so badly, in January, when he had mentioned it. Had wanted so badly that Benedict agreed, that he showed that they were together, that they weren’t no longer just friends, but now also partners, that they loved each other.  
In his eyes gathered tears, he swallowed again, closed his eyes briefly. 

Benedict took Martins trembling hands in his, lifted them, kissed them several times and looking up to Martin. His voice murmured lovingly after the kisses,  
"This was not a marriage proposal Martin, you can breathe, what would be very welcome. I would in fact love to go with my partner to the Adwards tonight."  
Martin nodded, breathed again, wiped his thumb under his eyes, cleared his throat and found his voice.  
"I know...I know...wow, Ben!"  
He broke a hand, trembled a little bit, put the hand on Benedicts cheek, stroked it and then gently ran through his soft hair.  
"I didn’t expect that. By contrast, my gift is nothing. Do you realize how much that means to me?”  
Benedict smiled gently up to Martin.  
"Your gift is just perfect and it means very much to me, as much as my gift means to you. That are two huge and important steps in our relationship. I love you Martin and I want both of them - with you."  
Martin swallowed, broke the other hand, ran again over his damp eyes, the gift and Benedicts gesture had touched him too much.  
"Can you kiss me."  
Martin cleared his throat again.

Benedict smiled slightly, put both hands on Martin's cheeks and kissed him, soft and tender. Martin clawed his hands into the collar of Benedicts sweater, clung to it and replied Benedicts kiss as gentle and innocent. His trembling hands and his heart, which still raged, were now joined by weak knees and a tingly stomach. He sank into Benedicts kiss, loved those kisses with Ben and when his partner broke the kiss slowly, he murmured against Benedicts lips  
"I love you, Benedict!"


	39. The BAFTAs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Martin and Benedict arrive at the red carpet. Will Benedict hold his promise or can't he handle his nervousness?

I've some photos for you, if you want to know how they look like.

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Martin-Freeman-LMK-114714.jpg

http://cdn04.cdn.justjared.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/cumberbatch-oscars/benedict-cumberbatch-oscars-2014-red-carpet-05.jpg

 

Benedict and Martin sat in the car that drive them to the Adwards. They were stayed at Martins place a couple of hours before they went to Benedicts house. Martin could still hardly believe which gift Benedict had given to him in the morning. His house keys dangled now at Benedicts key ring.   
They were almost at the red carpet and the idea to stand in a few minutes with Benedict as partners on the carpet didn’t make him nervous, it was crazy but he didn’t has a rapid heartbeat. On the contrary he looked forward to be here together with Ben, to spend the evening with him. What his heart beat made faster were instead still Benedicts words this morning, they were more than just a declaration of love. This gift today - he would hardly be able to overtrump this with anything, it was the absolute perfect gift in his eyes. 

Martin looked to his partner, cupped gently its hand and got the attention of Benedict, who turned his head back from the window.   
Benedict looked nervous, his facial expressions and also his posture were anything but relaxed. He sat the whole time yet with a tense posture in the car, hadn’t said a word and had just stared out of the window - motionless. 

Martin smiled cheery, squeezed Bens hand and leaned towards Benedicts ear, he breathed a little kiss on it and then whispered softly, so that Ben was the only one who could hear it.  
"Benny, you know I love you and you know how much your gift means to me, how much it means to me to live out this relationship in the right way, to enjoy it, without any restrictions. Nevertheless, I want to tell you one thing, if you can’t do it today, then it’s okay. I'm not angry with you, yeh?"  
Benedict closed his eyes, nodded slowly, they almost parked at the beginning of the red carpet, moving at a walking pace.   
"I want that you also want it and not that you do it just for me, or because you think it was your gift for today, okay love? I want that you also feel comfortable with it, that’s more important to me. I can wait for you, darling. Let me know before I take your hand, in case you don’t want it tonight, okay honey? No matter how you decide, I'm looking forward to the evening with you. You are with me, so it will be great, whether I am tonight with a very valued colleague and very close friend or with my wonderful partner."  
Martin breathed again a kiss on Bens ear, pressed again lovingly its hand and gave him a warm smile. 

Ben breathed, his heart was pounding like mad, he was even paler than he already was. His hands were sweaty, they trembled, he rubbed them briefly on his thigh and then ran his hand through his hair.   
They had stopped, stood at the start of the red carpet, where an incredible number of fans cheered.   
He swallowed, looked at Martin and the uncertainty was written all over his face. His thoughts raced through his head, the doors were opened to his and Martin's side. 

Benedict got out on the side of the red carpet, Martin on the other side.   
Ben was already going a few steps, his heart was racing in his chest, the whole photographers, fans, the press, the television cameras, made it even worse. He had the feeling, that he would run a marathon, for hours only up and up the hill. In fact, it sped even for hours, at least he had the feeling that it beat really intense and loud in his ears such a long time. Every heartbeat thundered in his ears, since they had made themselves ready at his place. It had started as they began to put on their clothes and hasn’t stopped yet.   
He smiled briefly to the fans, then turned to Martin, who was adjusting his tie again. He heard his name, Martins names that were screamed like crazy through the cool evening air.

Martin came around the car, walked up to Benedict, who looked at him and bowed his head.   
Benedict looked at Martin, in his black suit, white shirt, green tie, the grey hairs, that were a little longer since Puerto, he was unshaved, smiling at him incredibly warm.   
Ben's belly began to tingle at Martins sight and its charming smile, he smiled back and slowly held out his hand.   
Martin's lips spread to a wide smile, his eyes shone, his stomach tingled when he saw Benedict's outstretched hand.   
He came to him, was beaming, gave him another loving smile and then took Benedicts hand firmly in his, hooked his fingers with those of Ben. He squeezed his partners hand and ran his thumb over the back of the hand. 

They walked a few meters, had just entered the red carpet, the fans were shouting their names, cheered even more, since Martin had taken Benedicts hand.   
A photographer was waiting and asked for a photo.   
They both nodded, were instructed by the photographer to take place with their backs to the red carpet. Martin let go Benedicts hand and put it on Benedicts lower back, who did the same, his heart was still racing.   
They smiled at the camera and Benedict really had to strain so that the nervousness disappeared from his face and his smile.   
The photographer pulled the trigger a few times, then thanked them. 

Martin smiled up to Ben, stroked his back briefly and then took his hand again.   
"Everything okay with you, honey?"   
"At least I can still breathe, but will probably die five years earlier because my heart is racing like mad since a long time."   
He smiled nervously and Martin smirked, pressed Benedicts hand.   
"That's ok, darling...I'm five years older than you, so that would be compensated."   
He ran his other hand gently over Benedicts belly, then let it rest there.   
Benedict smiled slightly, Martin returned it and said softly,  
"I'm here Benedict, okay? I will not let you down. Everything will be fine, love. Come on, hm, we are standing here like all dressed up and nowhere to go, let’s go to the fans."   
He pressed again Benedicts hand, stroked again over its belly and he didn’t walked forward until he saw Benedicts nod. 

They walked over to the fans, who still mainly cried their names, held already photos and pictures to them for an autograph, they took photos and were filming with their mobile phones.   
Benedict and Martin had to let go their hands again, it wasn’t possible to sign autographs and take pictures with interwinted fingers.  
They moved on slowly, had been eyed up precisely, had get repeatedly a broad knowing grin from the fans, but so far no questions had come over the lips. 

 

They were just at the half, as one of the girls said,  
“You were holding hands!"   
Martin smiled at her, handed Benedict the pen, who just came to them. He put his hand on Benedicts back, got a smile from him.  
Ben put his signature on the picture while Martin said,   
"You are the first person who asked."   
The girl smiled and raised expectantly both eyebrows, the eyes already shone like crazy.   
"And?"   
Martin smiled, stroked Benedict's back, who gave the girl the pen back.   
The fans next to them were filming, shot pictures, still shouting.   
"And...that - you will see more often in the future."   
The girls mouth fell open, like the mouths of the fans that stood next to her. In their eyes there was a beam of joy.   
Martin and Benedict smiled.   
"We should go, otherwise the ceremony begins without us."   
The girl nodded and shook her head at the same time.   
"Wait...can we take a picture?"   
Ben and Martin nodded, Benedict leaned more to Martin, the cheek leaned against Martins head side. Martin put his arm around Ben, smiled softly and ran his thumb back and forth, while the girl struggled to hold her hand steady and get them all on the photo.   
"Give me the phone, Benny can take the picture, he has the longest arms of us three."   
The fans were grinning and the girl handed Benedict the phone.   
Martin pressed his hand gently in his side to signale him that everything was well.   
Ben breathed, calmed his hands, had the feeling that his hands were shaking more than the hand of the fans. He held the camera in front of them three, smiled with Martin and the girl and pressed the trigger three times, just to be on the save side.   
He handed the phone back, smiled and said finally,   
"I hope one of them is good, my hands are trembling more than yours...I'm a little nervous tonight."   
The girl's friend grinned up and babbled.   
"You don’t have to be nervous, we really like it! It’s great!...Or do you mean you’re nervous because of the laudatory speech?"   
Martin grinned, wanted to walk away, but then stopped again with his partner as he heard the girl’s friend.   
Ben smiled now, had already seen the shining eyes of the other fans, but the little chatter of the girls and Martins loving gestures and words, which he gave him the whole time, let him relax a bit more.   
"No...I meant the first thing."   
"That you are a couple! Awesome, better than Johnlock!"  
She grinned and got also a grin back from Martin and Ben.   
Benedict put his hand now on Martins lower back, the other hand on its belly.   
"Now we really have to go...", said he with a grin and shoved Martin a little forward.   
Martin smiled to the two girls, winked and walked away with Benedict. 

 

They wrote a few more autographs and took some pictures with the fans before they came to the entire press troop.   
Martin paused, turned to Ben, he put a hand on its shoulder.   
"Everthing all right with you, honey?", asked he softly, squeezing Benedicts shoulder.   
"It is better, my heart isn’t racing like a maniac.", smiled Ben softly and Martin also smiled at him, lowered his hand again and took Benedict's hand in his.   
They strolled over the red carpet and welcomed now and then a few colleagues. Martin felt well, enjoyed Benedict at his side and also that he became more and more relaxed. His thumb caressed Benedicts hand.   
Benedict smiled softly down at him, briefly squeezed Martins hand and they pushed their way through the red carpet.   
They passed the camera crews of various TV channels and newspapers without being called, most rushed tonight rather on the nominees. 

The last stop before there were only all the photographer, was Zoe Ball, who host the red carpet this year. Via Twitter the fans could post questions, which Zoe would ask if she get the relevant actors, writers or directors in front of the camera.   
An assistant had approached Ben and Martin, had asked if they had time for a short interview.   
Martin smiled at Ben.   
"I've been wondering that we had passed the others so easily."   
Ben grinned down at him, then followed him to Zoe. They let go their hands. 

Zoe smiled at both, the camera was pointed at them three and Zoe said,   
"Benedict and Martin. Hello, great that it worked out."  
The two men smiled and greeted her as well.   
"You aren’t nominated this year, but as presenters on the stage tonight. Which category?"   
Martin smiled and answered,   
"Yes, we wanted to give others the chance to win this year." He grinned and then said with a smile, "We’ll award the Bafta for best newcomer tonight."   
Zoe laughed together with Ben about Martins statement, before she asked her next question.   
“Who do you think wins tonight, have you a favourite"   
"That's hard to say, they are all young and talented actors, from which we can certainly expect a lot and all of the nominees tonight deserve this Bafta."   
He smiled gently at her, waiting for the next question, he was standing close to Benedict, putting his hand casually on his lower back, his fingers almost touched Bens buttocks.   
"Your new movie ‘Whiskey Tango Foxtrot’ celebrate his Premiere in a couple of weeks Martin, when is it ready at last?"  
"March the first, in New York...and here in London, uh...I think on March the fourth. It’s a Friday, at least, that’s what I could remember.", chuckled Martin.   
Zoe smiled and nodded .   
"Great so we can looking forward to it.” 

Zoe turned to Benedict.   
"You’re shooting currently for Dr. Strange, when it's time for a new Sherlock season?"   
"Yes, at the moment I’m shooting for Dr. Strange, starting next week in London...and we will return for Sherlock in April.", smiled Ben at Zoe, who now came to her underlying reason why she have wanted Martin and Ben in front of the camera.   
"You two have already made quite a splash tonight on Twitter. We had asked the Twitter community to tweet questions for our actors directors and writers. And then out of nowhere, photos of you two were tweeted. Hand in hand at the red carpet. The most frequently asked question was whether you're together or not. Can you tell us something about it?", chuckled Zoe, she was quite curious, although the posted videos and pictures on Twitter were actually already enough to know that it was what it looked like.  
"This was quick. Is it enough if we just confirm it and then enjoy the rest of the evening?", smiled Martin happily, his hand was still on Benedicts lower back, who smiled briefly to Martin and then to Zoe, who smiled gently at the couple.   
"I think that is enough for tonight. Then still enjoy your evening and your Valentine's Day, I hope the gifts were nice.", smiled she gently.   
"It was perfect.", was to hear, in a deep and in a warm voice.   
Ben bowed his head and chuckled to Martin, he puts his hand now on Martins back. His partner also smirked, then smiled at him lovingly and turned his head again to Zoe.   
"It seems that you two agree.", smiled Zoe and Martin nodded.   
"So...have also a nice evening and a nice Valentine's Day.", said Martin. 

 

The couple had gone forward, posing quite a while with the photographers before entering the Royal Opera House.   
They exchanged a gentle kiss and Martin stroked Benedict's chest.   
"I know I ask probably for the tenth time now, but is with you everything all right?"   
Benedict smiled, stroked Martins hip.   
"Everything is fine Martin, my partner has taken care of me on the red carpet in a very excellent und lovely way."   
Martin smiled.   
"Ok, then I can calm down, you looked just a bit sick. You really wanted this, yeah?"  
"I really wanted this tonight Martin, I was just really nervous. It was my decision and I haven’t regret it."  
He breathed Martin a kiss on the temple.   
"Twitter will probably collapse on our behalf.", grinned Martin while they kept walking.   
Benedict laughed and nodded.   
"Well possible, all the fans will post their entire pictures of us at Twitter and in the other social networks."

 

They were joined by a few colleagues and before the BAFTAs begun they visited the men's room. Then they sat down in the hall.   
Benedict had his fingers interwined with Martins, their hands were in Martin's lap.


	40. Watched by Mark Gatiss

Martin and Benedict were now on the aftershow party, which was since a while in full swing. They had held their laudatory speech, John Boyega had got the award and otherwise they had followed the ceremony from their seats.  
At the party they had eaten at first, chat a bit, exchanged a few caresses before they parted ways and they chatted with a few colleagues and friends. 

Martin had lost sight of Benedict. He was standing with Cate Blanchett on the sidelines, they talked together.  
Martin held his empty glass in his hand, it was late after midnight, he was tired and exhausted and knew it would pass some time before they really lie in bed. He put his free hand to Cates arm and smiled.  
"I'l0l go looking for my man. I’m really tired. It was nice to see you again Cate."  
Cate smiled at him, nodded and hugged him.  
"Yes, it was great Martin to see you and Ben again. I wish you a good flight later."  
Martin hugged her back and smiled.  
"I'll tell him when I’ve found him. Thank you Cate. Good night."  
They smiled at each other before Martin walked away to search Benedict. 

On the way he put down his glass, every now and then he stopped again and was involved in a brief conversation with some colleagues and friends.  
The reactions of their colleagues were mostly positive tonight and Benedict had become really relaxed in the course of the evening. 

Martin looked around and discovered his partner ultimately on the opposite side of the room, at a table with Stephen Fry and Kate Winslet. He came over to the table, was already smiling to Stephen and put a hand gently on Benedicts shoulder.  
"Hey."  
He stroked gently over Benedicts shoulder, who interrupted his conversation with Kate as he heard Martin's voice. He turned his head around and smiled at Martin, put a hand gently on Martins lower back and closed his eyes as he watched Martin leaning down to him and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. Benedict replied Martins kiss briefly, then smiled at him lovingly and said,  
"Hey...I wanted to say goodbye and then looking for you."  
"I’ve already found you, I’ve won the game.", grinned Martin gently, then smiled to Kate, but didn’t greet them specially again, as they had often enough seen and talked to each other tonight. 

Benedict grinned up at him and said with a laugh,  
"You're harder to find, because you..."  
Martin tugged gently at his ear, grinning broadly and raised threateningly his finger.  
"Keep it clean and don’t say it! It's bad enough that all the women with their high heels are even taller than me tonight."  
Kate and Stephen laughed together with Benedict, who said for his defense,  
"Perhaps I wanted to say that you're just better at hiding."  
Martin grinned, raised the eyebrow and made a disparaging noise.  
"No, you didn’t wanted that and we both knew it, love.” Ben smiled and tilted his head up while Martin continued. "I'm really tired Benny...are we going? That's why you wanted to find me, right?"  
While Martin talked, he stroked gently over Benedicts shoulder.  
"Exactly, that’s why I wanted to look for you, I am also exhausted, we can go."  
He removed his hand from Martins back and stood up slowly. 

They said goodbye to Kate and Stephen before they left the party together and went to the driver who would chauffeured them home again.  
Martin loosened his tie already in the car, took it off and opened the first button of his shirt, the tie lay in his lap. He rubbed his eyes, put a hand on Benedict's thigh and leaned his head at the window.  
Benedict put his hand on Martins, played with the fingers.  
"When do you have to be at the airport later?"  
Martin turned his head back to him, smiled, he played also with Benedicts fingers and said,  
“At 5pm is departure...so I would say at 3.30?"  
"I'll bring you, then we can say goodbye at the airport."  
Martin smiled, squeezed briefly Benedicts hand before he played again with his fingers.  
"That's sweet, thanks Benny."  
"I better use the time we have, after all, you are away then until march."  
He continued to play gently with Martins fingers, smiled at him until Martin closed his eyes.

Benedict looked at him, watching him with soft eyes.  
The evening had begun terrible for Ben. He was sure that he wanted to spend the Valentine's Day as partners, he had thought about it again and again and had made the decision that he would step out of his comfort zone. Not just to make Martin happy, he had felt comfortable with it, the cold feet had been gone, but he had been incredibly nervous.  
Even before they were driven to the BAFTAs. The nervousness was gone when they had said it out loud to a fan, when they had pronounced that they are a couple. Then, he had calmed down more and more, with every step they had taken on the red carpet.  
And Martin had helped him very much, had asked him repeatedly if he was all right, if everything is okay, if he felt comfortable. Martin had held his hand, had pressed it gently, had strocked his lower back, had showed him that he was there. He loved this side of Martin, that showed so much understanding, care and concern, let him act incredibly loving and at the same time he made him laugh and smile with his natural charming way.  
He hadn’t regret that step with Martin, the rest of the evening was fantastic and he was now incredibly happy that he could show everywhere how much he loved and appreciated Martin. 

Bens eyes flitted slowly over Martins face, stared at him lovingly.  
Martin's eyes were still closed, he looked relaxed and smiled slightly.  
Benedict raised his hand, gave him a kiss on the fingers before he put their clasped hands again on his thigh. Martin smiled even more, squeezed Benedicts hand, opened his eyes again, turned his head more to Benedict and winked.  
The driver stopped in front of Benedicts house, Martin rubbed again over his face, they said goodbye to the driver, and then got out together. 

Martin was already going to the door when he felt Benedicts hand on his back. He smiled up at him, put his hand on Benedicts back.  
"Thank you Ben, thank you for this awesome gift and for tonight."  
Ben smiled down, sought with the other hand his keys in his jacket.  
"I wasn’t so nervous since a really long time. And I must also thank you."  
He put the key in the lock, turned it around, opened the door for Martin, who entered and started to take off his shoes and jacket.  
"What for?"  
"For your behavior on the red carpet, that you have made sure that I'm fine and stop worrying. Just for your care."  
He closed the door, slipped out of his coat and his shoes and hugged Martin at the end, who smiled at him gently.  
"That goes without saying, Benny. You're my partner, I love you and I want you to feel comfortable, that you're fine. And it went well, the fans were very happy and also the colleagues, most of them, at least. You can’t make all happy. And just for the record and to stroking your ego, you were fantastic tonight Benedict."  
He took Ben's face in both hands, stood up slightly on tiptoe and kissed him affectionately.

Benedicts face was still cupped between Martins hand, they beamed at each other and Benedict said,  
"I love you too...Martin and you're right, it all went well and apart from the beginning, I have also enjoyed the evening. And you were also great tonight...and I really loved your outfit, you looked handsome."  
He smiled and stroked over Martin's chest.  
His partner smiled, ran his thumbs over Benedicts cheeks.  
"I can return that, you look fucking sexy in this suit."  
Martin reached out again, saw Ben smiling, breathed him a kiss on the lips, then got one from Benedict, who gently murmured to his lips,  
"Are you coming to bed and cuddle with me?"  
"I would love to.", pressed Martin him a last kiss on the lips before they both broke apart. 

The two men got ready for bed in the bathroom, Martin lay down first, turned to the socket and plugged in his mobile phone. Benedict came to him, lay only in boxers behind Martin, snuggled against his back, pushing one leg between Martins, put an arm around his partner's belly and kissed his neck.  
"Mhhh that’s fantastic.", pressed he Martin into a gentle hug, slipped a hand under its tee and let his hand rest on Martins bare belly.  
Martin smiled, looked at his Iphone and saw all the whatsapp messages that he had received tonight. He frowned.  
"Bloody hell! Why have I more than forty fucking messages on my mobile phone?"  
"Don’t know, love, it wasn’t me. My phone was at home. ", pressed Ben a kiss on Martins neck and snuggled even closer.  
Martin opened the app, scrolling a bit. There were messages from Simon, Amanda, Mark, his brother Jamie and a few other friends and colleagues.  
"They were all already on Twitter. I'm sure.", muttered Martin to himself and opened Marks message, it was the most recent, which was probably because he had apparently written to him – the whole evening.  
Benedict kissed gently Martins shoulder.  
"Read it out, honey.", whispered Ben in Martins neck, closed his eyes and waited for Martins pleasant voice. 

Martin smiled, he enjoyed Bens cuddling and the kisses and began to read.  
"So that is Mark, he had send the most."  
He made a short pause, scrolled to the first message and read,  
-I can’t believe it, I’m sitting comfortably at home, looking with my lovely husbund the live stream from the red carpet and can you imagine what I see? I see you and Benedict making out!-  
-What's going on with you two?-  
-And why knew I nothing about this, yet?-  
-By the way I like your suits.-  
-The interview with Zoe Ball was great. What were the perfect gifts?-  
Ben chuckled behind him and Martin stopped briefly, smiled broadly and then continued,  
-I’m disappointed, we wanted a kiss on the red carpet!-

Martin shook his head, grinning.  
"I love it! It’s unbelievable, he’s mad, just mad. Instead of enjoying their Valentine’s day, they are watching us on the red carpet over the internet like a romantic soap episode."  
Ben laughed and murmured against Martins shoulder,  
"Read on, it's exciting."  
Martin grinned and scrolled further up.  
-Do I now have to rewrite the Sherlock script with Steven?-  
-Oh damn it! Now we have to wait two hours until BBC finally show the ceremony, that's unfair. I don’t want to wait.-  
-You have incidentally almost paralyzed Twitter. That are really nice videos and pictures of you, well, I’m glad that there are fans who feed me with those lovely pictures and videos.-  
-By the way your hashtag is #freebatchisreal. It’s No. 1 tonight.- 

Martin looked at the sending time, there was a while nothing, presumably they had been waiting for the show on BBC.  
"Freebatch? Just as...what was the other? Johnlock, right?", asked Ben.  
"Probably, I think Simon had mentioned it or Amanda, that's the name for us, the shippig name or something like that.", said Martin.  
"Did Mark have written something else"  
"Yes wait, darling...so it goes on with Mark"  
-We still haven’t seen a kiss. It’s annoying, could please do a bit more than just sit there, look handsome and holding hands?-  
-The laudatory speech was great. I loved it.-  
-No kiss! Bad ending. Have fun at the party and I would like to have a statement when you look at your mobile phone. As soon as possible, obviously.-  
-And what else could I say. The news are great Martin. Greetings to Ben, I haven’t write him. I think he’s next to you. See you two in April.- 

Ben grinned and kissed Martins neck again.  
"I think he’s now sitting at his laptop and rewrite the script for Sherlock, a Johnlock kiss, whether Steven is okay with that or not, just that he can watch us kissing."  
Martin turned his head around, enjoyed the whole time the cuddling with Benedict and his gentle kisses.  
"Probably that’s totally true. That's all he has written."  
Martin turned his head back, scrolled through the other messages.  
"What are the other messages?", asked Ben behind him.  
"They are from Jamie, Simon, Amanda and a few others...that we have entertained Twitter tonight, hello to you, and from Amanda, I should tell you that the suit was great."  
He put the phone on the floor, turned into the embrace, looked at Ben and ruffled his hair.  
"They have all a lot of time on their hands.", muttered Ben and sighed softly. 

Ben moved closer to Martin, a little bit down into the bed, he put his face in Martin's sternum. Martin smiled, gave him a kiss on the hair, put an arm around him. Their legs were entangled with each other, Benedict breathed Martin a kiss on the sternum and ran his hand now under Martins T-shirt at the back.  
Martin sighed with pleasure, Benedicts fingers brushed lightly over his warm skin and he enjoyed it very much.  
Martin kissed again the soft hair of his significant other, then ran his nose through it and rested his cheek comfortably on Benedicts head.  
"I'm glad that you take me to the airport Benny."  
"Hmm. Love you, honey.", muttered Ben into Martins chest and snuggled a little closer to him.  
Martin smiled with closed eyes, let his hand wander over Benedicts back and whispered,  
"I love you too, sweetheart."  
His fingers brushed gently over Benedicts neck, played something with Benedicts hair until he realized that Benedict was asleep. He snuggled his cheek more into Ben's hair, listened to the gentle snoring and then drifted even further and further into his dream world.


	41. A depature and a bad coincidence

The alarm clock woke them up at 10am again. They had talked yesterday about that they wanted to go out for a cozy lunch in London before Martin would depart.  
After a cuddling session in bed, the pair got up to take a shower. They got ready, Martin packed his suit in the trunk and then they went to town, looked for a parking lot and walked side by side through the city, not hand in hand, but nevertheless it felt more intimate as at their last joint visit in London.  
On the drive to the city they had talked about what they wanted to eat, Benedict had been for Italian, Martin was completely undecided, Italian doesn’t make him happy at the moment.

While he was walking, Martin looked up to Ben.  
"I don’t know, must it be Italian?"  
Ben walked beside him, shaking his head.  
"No, not necessarily, I just have a desire for noodles in the moment, or if I’m honest, I’m just very hungry, Martin. We should choose something, we can’t walk here the whole day, love. I’m okay with every restaurant as long as they have noodles or pasta."  
Martin continued to look up to him, so he was a little too unfocused for the road. He was about to say something when he ran against a promotional sign, stumbled and almost fell to the ground.  
Ben had turned his head around when he heard the clacking sounds and smirked now because Martins profanity.  
"For fuck’s sake, why is there a sign in the middle of the way."  
"That was your fault. You hadn’t watched your way, darling", grinned Ben.  
"But that isn’t a reason to set up an obstacle.” Martin put the sign back.

Ben looked at the plate and let his gaze wander to the store, to which it belonged apparently. His gaze wandered again to Martin, he put his hand on Martin's back.  
"Before you destroy the whole store, we could just have some food here..." Ben pointed to the store.  
It was a Chinese restaurant, a few tables were occupied.  
"Oh yes, Chinese is good!", said Martin joyfully and nodded.  
Benedict looked down at him.  
"What? I had that suggested when we were in the car! And you said, that you don’t want that!"  
Martin bowed his head.  
"Haven’t heard it, honey, you've suggested much things. I just heard Greek, Indian, Mexican and Fast Food. Sorry.”  
Benedict shook his head, grinning.  
"I did mentioned it. Come on, let's go inside. I hope that they still serve us after you have nearly destroyed their sign.", grinned Ben and Martin acted as he would laugh.  
"How funny Mr. Cumberbatch."  
After he had said it, his lips curled up for a grin and he went to the door, which Benedict held open for him.  
They entered, Benedict was still laughing.

They had eaten, talked with each other, had made a digestive walk along the Thames after paying and stood now by the water. They leaned side by side on the railing, with his forearms on it and looked at the river.  
Benedict turned his head to Martin, looked at him in his jeans, dark jacket, the scarf, still unshaved. Martin ran his tongue over the lips, looked at the water. The wind blew through his grey hair.  
Ben smiled and bowed his head as Martin turned his head and smiled at him.  
"Are we staring?", winked he charmingly  
"Yes. I can’t see you for the next three weeks, I have to memorize how you look like.” He smiled gently and Martin grinned.  
"You have pictures on your phone from me and pictures of us...and otherwise there are plenty on the Internet or you could just call me via FaceTime."  
They grinned at each other, Martin slipped closer, his grin went to a lovely smile.

Martin raised his left hand, placed it gently on Benedicts cheek, let the other arm lying on the railing and came slowly closer with his face.  
"I don’t want to miss that, not here and not at the airport, love.", muttered Martin and closed slowly his eyes, saw that Ben closed his eyes too and then felt Benedicts lips on his. Their lips moved against each other – lovingly. They broke apart after a short moment and after a short break they joined each other again. The second kiss lasted longer, was more intense but just as lovingly as the first one.  
Martin stroked briefly with the nose over Bens. He had closed his eyes and murmured,  
"I think we should walk back to the car."  
"Yeah, you're right.” He gave Martin a last gentle kiss before Martin lowered his hand and both repelled from the railing.  
They smiled at each and strolled back to the car - this time holding hands.

Benedict drove Martin to the airport, they checked in and took Martins ticket. Martins little bag hung over his left shoulder, he wanted to take it into the airplane.  
After the check in, they drank a coffee made their way to the correct terminal.  
In front of the safety area they stopped, Martin looked at his watch, then up to Ben.  
"I should go in a few minutes, in half an hour is the departure and I’m not even through the security check."  
"Yes, it would be embarrassing when they call for you over the loudspeakers. And all have to wait for the little hobbit."  
Martin laughed amused.  
"That would be bad, the other passengers wouldn’t be so happy if I’m too late and they have to wait just for me. I don’t want to attract a lot of attention."  
Ben smiled, then put his arms around his partner, felt that Martin put his arms around him, clung to him and that he pressed a kiss through Bens sweater, right on his chest. He stroked Martins back, kissed his head and murmured into his hair.  
"I wish you a good flight, don’t get bored and be nice to the other passengers and please call or text when you're there, yeah? No matter what time it is."  
Martin nodded at Benedicts chest.  
"I’ll call you Benny."  
Martin broke apart a little bit and reached up to gave Benedicts lips a gentle kiss, Ben replied. He pressed Martin more at his body, deepened the kiss, opened as well as Martin his lips slightly and their tongues swept smoothly over each other. Martin sighed into the kiss, clung more to Ben.  
They broke the kiss very slowly as the air ran out, smiled gently and then chuckled.

"If Mark is in truth Mycroft and is only pretending that he’s Mark, then he had seen us over the cameras now, during our snogging.", grinned Martin.  
Benedict laughed out loud what others passengers made look in their direction.  
"Then he has seen it now, at least, and is satisfied, I hope so."  
Martin grinned and nodded, he stretched up again, gave Benedict a kiss and slowly broke apart.  
"Enjoy the shooting tomorrow...and I'll call you when I’m at the hotel or at the airport.", stroked he gently over Bens cheek. "I love you, honey."  
Benedict had closed his eyes, slowly opened them again, as Martin withdrew his hand.  
"Yes, you too...and I love you too, Martin." Ben leaned down again, gave Martin one last kiss and then broke completely apart. "Now off you go, through security, who knows what you've got in your jacket or trouser pockets and this bag here.", smirked Benedict and Martin grinned, he already walked backwards.  
Martin raised his hand, smiled again. Even Ben raised his hand, smiled and then Martin turned around.

 

Martin crossed the security check without any problem, strolled to the gate and took a seat. The boarding was set up for half an hour later because of a technical problem. He sighed, took his mobile phone out of his pocket, he hadn’t replied to Mark, yet. He typed a few lines and sent them off.

Mark was just gone online again to look at whether Martin or Benedict had finally wrote back. He saw Martins message and read it curious and delighted.

_"Yesterday was Valentine's Day! Why are you watching us with Ian on the Red Carpet, instead of going out with your husband? There are surely better "activities" as watching Ben and me, or not? ;-). But thanks for the bedtime story. It was fun."_ \- Martin

Mark grinned, he was with Steven in the office, had told him this morning exactly what he had missed last night on the red carpet, in the hall and on Twitter. But only when he had shown Steven the videos and pictures on Twitter, his colleague and friend had believed it. Previously he had Mark repeatedly interrupted with the words 'You’re nuts!' 'You should use your imagination for something more worthwhile!' and 'Let's get to work now and stop this nonsense!'. Then Steven had become quite still, had looked at the images in disbelieve and had speculated that they are maybe all photoshopped, but the videos had ultimately convinced him and since then he was as impatient as Mark and waited with him for a message of Martin or Benedict.  
"Martin has written.", informed Mark his sitting neighbour Steven, who was trying to work.  
Mark read the message out loud and Steven was again distracted from his work and turned his attention to Mark.  
Mark already wrote back, while Steven said,  
"That was about time!"

_"We were out the whole day, in the evening we just wanted to sit comfortably on the couch and watch what Sherlock and Watson are up to. We haven’t expected that you two appearing hand in hand. That was just a bit more exciting than other "activities" at this moment. Why haven’t you warn us? And why did it took so long for you to answer my questions. I'm sitting here with Steven since this morning at 8am, waiting."_ \- Mark

_"Am I writing with Mycroft, who can watch us through the camera system? :-D ...Should we call or text each person to inform you all that we're together? We would have told you in April, that yesterday wasn’t planned it was more spontaneously. Benedict had told me only yesterday that he is now ready to make it public. I hadn’t expected it. And I text you now because I've slept until 10am and then I spent the day with Ben."_ – Martin

_"I have always a good view ;-), I don’t want to say more about this topic! How long are you two together, when Benedict was ready now??? We seem to have missed a lot. Don’t you fly today to Puerto? "_ \- Mark

_"I also prefer to not deepen that subject. ;-). Not as long as you maybe think, since December, I just wanted to make it public in January, but Ben didn’t felt comfortable with it. Until yesterday only our families, Amanda and Simon's family knew it. Yes, I’m already at the airport, I've said goodbye to Ben a few minutes ago, but I’ve to wait now – technical problems. Otherwise I would sitting in the plane and hadn’t answered."_ – Martin

_"I’ve arranged that your machine flies later. It’s good when you are the government. ;-). That are almost three months! And you say we haven’t missed much? And you wanted to let us wait until April? Are you mad? We want to hear the whole story in April!"_ – Mark

_"You’re too much in the Mycroft mode, Mark :-D. And impatient! But the fans have to wait until next year for a new season. We can talk about it in April. Incidentally to your script question. Should you two want to write a Johnlock kiss, then you don’t have to worry if we would kiss us in front of the camera, at least. All your messages were really entertaining tonight."_ – Martin

_"I'm not in Mycroft mode - umbrella is at home :-D. Oh come on, it’s not our fault, with that long hiatus. It’s especially your man’s fault, who has far too many other projects, otherwise we would have been able to shoot the new season much faster. Actually you should doing something else in bed than reading my mad comments...these "activities" of which you have talked. "_ – Mark

_" Yes, I know it’s Bens fault :-). We were too tired for the "activities" tonight, but not in the morning ;-). I’m off now, it’s boarding time Mark. I’ll see you in April madman, then we can talk in more detail. Greetings to the curly head next to you. Looking forward to see you two again."_ \- Martin.

_"Well all right, then good flight and a hello back from Mr. Curly Head. He still can’t believe it. We are looking forward to see you in April, Martin. Have a good time"_ \- Mark.

Mark put the phone down again, Steven had read the texts with Mark, he still looked incredulous.  
"Incredibly, still unbelievable. The boys together. Crazy. I really am looking forward to see Martin and Benedict, to see them together. I really haven’t seen them as a couple, you know what I mean. I mean they’re close friends and I love their chemistry but I hadn’t ship them."  
Mark smiled and nodded,  
"Me too. I'm looking forward to April, how it will be to see them on set as a couple. In the pictures they looked very harmonious and handsome with each other."  
"I am also looking forward Mark. Anyway, great for the boys.", smiled Steven.

Martin was reading the last text from Mark, smiled and put the phone back in his pocket and then went to the boarding.

 

After nearly sixteen hours Martin had landed in San Juan and had texted Ben when he was waiting for his luggage.  
With Benedict in London and him in San Juan, it was a little harder this time to really see each other over FaceTime. Benedict was ahead four hours so they limited it in the week on texts. During the weekend they had seen each other over FaceTime and spent half the day just on the phone.  
Today it was Monday, in a week Martin would fly to New York - on Thursday back to London. He had just a little break, sat down in a quiet corner and read Benedicts message that he had sent quite a few hours ago.

_“Hey darling, I’ve bad news. The shooting schedule was changed, unfortunately at the unfavorable least point. Next Friday. That means I can’t come to your premiere, I am unfortunately scheduled the whole day. I'm incredibly sorry. Sorry Honey, I’ll text you later again. Kiss."_ \- Ben

Martin read the message twice, sighed, looking sad at the text. Those were really bad news. He glanced at his watch, at his place it was shortly after 12pm, so at Benedicts place shortly after 4pm, he would try his luck, maybe he just had a little break.

_"Hey love, that are really crappy news. But we can’t change that. There is no need for a apologize Benny, that's not your fault. Love you."_ \- Martin

The answer came back shortly afterwards, Ben was just online, had a few minutes before he would go back to work.

_"Nevertheless, I'm sorry. This is your premiere, I wanted to go with you. You were looking forward to it and I am as well. It's just totally shit, but apparently not to change. I have tried it, previously. Unfortunately, without success. Love you, too"_ – Ben

_"Yes, I know, I would had liked it. It’s great when you're there too, it has always been. I always loved it when you were there, too, or when you were in the theater and you've seen my play. But I think it will happen more than once that we can’t be at the premiere of the other. We make it like we had made it with Star Wars, we’ll go to the cinema and watch to movie together, just the two of us, love."_ – Martin

_"Star Wars wasn’t your or my movie, it was just that Simon had a brief appearance, he is not my partner, you’re my partner Martin and I wanted to be there on your big night. Unfortunately, we can’t change that, so I’m now looking forward to the cinema date with you. Sorry again Martin, really, I'm incredibly sorry. I’ve to go, I'll text you later. I love you, hun."_ – Ben

_"I know what you mean Ben. It's really not your fault and not the fault of the team. It's just a bad coincidence. You will be missed, but we’ll see it together and then we can making out and snogging in the dark cinema. ;-). I love you too sweetheart."_ \- Martin

Benedict had put his phone back. He felt bad. He knew Martin wasn’t grumpy, but Ben was annoyed with this unfavorable chance. Of course, they weren’t always at the premiers of the other one since they know each other, it hadn’t always fitted by other appointments. Nevertheless, they had always tried, had visited each other in the theater, they appreciated each other very much as a colleagues, liked each other's work very much and now Martin was also his partner. Just that made it so sad, because Martin was his partner now, he really wanted to be there, be at his side when the film in his country celebrate the premiere.  
He sighed, he knew Martin was sad about it. They had looking forward to it very much, so the disappointment that it didn’t work now was huge. He would just looking forward to their second movie date, he couldn’t do more right now.

Martin had put his phone away, picked up some food, chatted with colleagues, but he wasn’t listening properly. He wasn’t mad at Ben, not to all the people who had planned that. He knew it wasn’t easy to establish a reasonable and proper plan for shooting, there was so much to be organize and coordinate and the people did their job properly. It was just a stupid coincidence and not uncommon in their profession, they didn’t work in an office, in which they could go on vacation at the same time, or at least it would be easier to realize.He was just incredibly sad and disappointed.  
The evening would be good, but it wasn’t the same without Ben. He just loved Bens presence on red carpets. It was more fun with him.

 

The last few days in Puerto vanished pretty quickly.  
Benedict and Martin had phoned at the weekend before Martin was flown to New York.  
On Monday he was at the Jimmy Fallon Late Night Show, they had talked about the new film, as well as Civil War and also about the relationship with Benedict. Jimmy had held back with intimate questions, he just had asked again if they are really in a relationship, said that he was happy for Ben and him and had asked whether Ben was at the world premiere or at the premiere in London.  
"He isn’t here tomorrow and he can’t make it for the premiere on Friday, he’s still shooting for Dr. Strange in London and has to work. But we’ll go to see the movie together.", had been Martins response.  
Jimmy wished him much fun and the female audience in the studio gave a happy sigh and a loud ‘aaawwww’.  
Apparently they liked the idea that the two men would go together to the cinema.


	42. One more miracle

The weather in London was modest today. It had rained all day, but despite that fact there stood an incredibly amount of fans at the red carpet, who welcomed the stars with much shouting. Previously they had all waited with big umbrellas, but fortunately it had stopped to rain shortly after 5pm. Nevertheless, it was still windy, quite cold, the fans were packed in thick jacktes, their good mood stayed.  
At the premiere in New York the weather had been fantastic, Martin had sent Ben a few pictures and he had told him yesterday about the premiere, when Ben was at home after is shooting day. 

Martin stood now on the red carpet, he had appeared shortly after 6am, a black coat hung over his suit, he was taking pictures with fans and signed autographs.   
A young woman named Lisa, with whom he had just made a Selfie, smiled,   
"Too bad that Ben isn’t here."   
Martin smiled softly, signed her the poster she held in her hands.  
“Yeah, you’re right, it’s a real shame. But he didn’t make it tonight, he needs to work while I'm sitting comfortable in the theatre and watch the movie again."  
"I think he would have loved to be here."  
Martin nodded, handed her the pen back.   
"He was also sad that he couldn’t come tonight."   
Lisa nodded and smiled, inwardly she freaked almost out, that Martin was still talking to her, she said,   
"It's always nice when the partner is on one’s side. You just have to want it really badly. Make a wish!"  
"That's right, with its partner on the side, it is even more fun. Didn't I need a lash or a shooting star for a wish?"  
Lisa shook her head with a wide smile.   
"Nooo, that’s rubbish, John hadn’t a lash or a shooting star when he wished that Sherlock shouldn’t be dead."   
Martin grinned at her.   
"But that was acting and not real life, you know that right?"   
Lisa laughed and nodded.   
"Of course!...Try it, you have nothing to lose, just say it out loud that you want one more miracle and that he should be here tonight. Who knows, maybe it'll work. "  
"Isn’t that ridiculous?"  
"The mustache was ridiculous, this is romance!"  
Martin chuckled and rolled his eyes.   
"Women...", grinned he at her amused face, the other fans around them enjoying themselves magnificently and Martin sighed and then smiled and nodded, wondering how exactly his line was, and then said, "One more miracle Benny, just for me, Please come to the premiere."  
Lisa beamed and nodded.  
"Great, I'll keep my fingers crossed.", grinned she and showed him both thumbs, whereupon Martin grinned.   
"I'm going forward, there wait a few more fans and those strange people with the microphones and cameras. It was really nice to chat with you.", smiled he charmingly, raised his hand and walked away.  
Martin signed posters and other stuff and took a few pictures with the the last few fans, who stood next to Lisa.

He was stopped by the first camera team and was in the middle of his interview with BBC, when he still heard the fans, who were shouting his name.   
Again and again he heard his own name and something he couldn’t understand properly. It was too loud, the fans screamed his name, other names, even the reporters, who wanted to have someone for an interview.  
"Sorry, I was distracted, what was the question?", smiled Martin.   
The reporter was about to ask his question again, as once again the fans near him screamed his name and something else, what sounded like 'ticked'. He looked the reporter.  
"Just a second", turned Martin his head around to the fans, put his hand to his ear and shouted, "What? I can’t understand you!"  
Lisa was among the caller, the young woman with whom he had talked so nice about fifteen minutes ago. She yelled again, indicated with her finger, like the others to the beginning of the red carpet.   
Martin looked questioningly and then the fans next to him and Lisa shouted as loud as they could. 

 

"MARTIN! THERE. IS. BENEDICT!"

 

They pointed the finger in the direction from which he had come. He looked at Lisa, still looking irritated, he had understood: "There is Benedict." He must have misheard that. That wasn’t possible, Benedict was on the set of Dr. Strange, he had told him this morning that it would gonna be late today and that he would come over to Martin’s place tonight.   
His eyes looked in the direction in which all the fingers pointed. 

His heart stopped briefly, he gasped, could hardly believe what he saw, whom he saw.   
Benedict.   
With a dark blue suit, white shirt, dark coat, tie and glasses, signed a few things and took a picture. 

Benedict had actually intended to go directly to Martin, had seen him with one of the reporters. It was already quite late, in just half an hour, the film would already begin.   
On Tuesday he had learned that Friday would work out, that he was able to go to Martins premiere. The team had sat together, they had tought about a possibility for Ben, so that he could go to that premiere. They had felt sorry for Ben, but there was so much to organize, that they had to plan it that way. Nevertheless, they had thought about another way and they had found a solution, which was acceptable for Ben and for them as a crew, even though it was quite stressful for Ben.   
He had shot the whole day, from early in the morning until the last possible second. He had showered in his trailer, had changed into his suit and then someone had picked him up to drive him to the premiere.   
He hadn’t said anything to Martin, he wanted to surprise him, and especially he didn’t wanted to cancel it suddenly, when it suddenly didn’t worked out. Ben had phoned with the organizers, so that he would have a seat.   
Benedict smiled at the fans, gave one of them the pen back and then smiled apologetically.   
"Sorry, I have to go, I have a date.", winked he and walked on. 

Martin stood there – motionless. He swallowed. His heart raced wildly in his chest, he blinked a few times, turned his head again to the BBC reporter, looking apologetic.   
"Sorry, I...I have to go back again. I have forgotten something very important."  
The reporter nodded, had understood and smiled.

Martin was on his way back, back to the beginning of the red carpet from which came Ben towards him.   
Benedict looked up and saw that Martin was coming back. His eyes beamed over to him and he walked a little faster until they met.   
Martin stopped in front of him, his eyes beamed up, the heart was still racing, he swallowed again, had a lump in his throat. That man was always able to touch him emotionally, with gestures and words - to touch deep. He was never the type to share intimate caresses or kisses on the red carpet, just holding hands, that was enough. But he couldn’t help it this time, he wrapped his arms around Ben, hugged him and closed his eyes, stood on tiptoe.   
Ben smiled, put the arms around him and hugged him back.   
Martin lay in his arm, hugged him back and murmured in his ear,   
"Do you want that I begin to cry on the red carpet?"   
Ben smiled, weighed him gently back and forth, pushing him closer.   
"Only when you will cry because you’re happy.", murmured Ben softly. 

Martin pressed him again, broke a bit apart and looked up to his partner. Around them, the cameras flashed like crazy all the time.   
Martin bowed his head, stroked Benedict's chest.   
"What are you doing here?", breathed he in disbelief.   
"Enjoying the premiere with my partner. The team has found a solution to gave me some freetime tonight. I already knew it since Tuesday, but I wanted to surprise you, and somehow I was afraid that it subsequently doesn’t work out in the last moment and I have to cancel it spontaneously and I didn’t want that.", smiled he gently, stroked Martins back, beaming up at him.   
"I have to do that now. I can’t hold it back.", said Martin with a euphoric, warm voice.   
He took Benedicts face in his hands and gave him a loving, gentle kiss, murmured again,   
"Sorry.", against Benedicts lips and closed his lips again to a tender kiss.  
Ben replied it briefly and tender.   
They broke the kiss slowly, smiled at each other. 

"Listen to me, love. Please stop to move me constantly to tears, you handsome bastard!", murmered Martin softly and Ben shook his head, breathed Martin a kiss on the cheek and murmured in his ear,   
"I like it too much to make you happy, darling."   
Martin hugged him as hard as he could and murmured with a warm, euphoric voice,   
"Nice to see you're here Benny! And by the way…you look gorgeous."   
Benedict smiled, stroked his hip.   
"I'm happy too, Martin. And as always…you look incredibly sexy tonight. But I think we should go forward, a few people would certainly like to have an interview with you."  
Martin smiled with a light flush on his cheeks and nodded, he took Bens hand.

They walked hand in hand over the red carpet, before Martin drew him to the fans, more specifically over to Lisa.   
He smiled at her, winked and said,   
"Thank you!"   
Lisa beamed and nodded, waved as they walked away.   
Benedict looked puzzled down to Martin while they were walking.   
"What was that?"   
Martin beamed up, shook his head.   
"Later sweetheart, a long story."   
They arrived at the reporters, Martin gave a few short interviews, they posed together for the photographers and then entered the theater. 

 

After the movie they joined the other colleagues and friends at the aftershow party.   
They had already eaten something, talked with others and now they stood slightly away from the whole scene.   
Martin put his hand on Benedict's upper arm.   
"Honey?"  
Ben turned his head back to Martin, had just observed the whole scene.   
"Yes?", smiled Ben.   
"I would like to go. Well, not home but I would like to go out with you...a drink in a nice bar or pub."   
"Now or later?", smiled Ben down at Martin.   
"Now, I'd like to have some time alone with you, without the hustle and bustle here.", said Martin with a soft smile and looked at his watch. "And we were long enough here, right? I'd rather go with you in a bar." He raised his head again, looked gently at Benedict and stroked his chest. "Or are you tired, do you want to go home? I mean you're awake since 4am."  
Benedict smiled gently, put his hand on Martins at his chest.   
"No, no. Bar or pub sounds great.", leaned Ben down and kissed Martin gently. "Let's get out quickly, before we are stopped again, darling.", muttered he with a wink afterwards.   
Martin smikred and nodded. 

The two men got their coats and crept unnoticed away from the party. They strolled hand in hand towards Piccadilly Circus, passed several bars, but stopped only at a Mexican Pub, which was apparently not as much overloaded as the others, although – all the tables were taken, so they went to the bar.   
They hung their jackets on two pegs under the bar and ordered two beers and nachos.  
Ben smiled down at Martin, who took off his suit jacket.   
"We attract a lot of attention with our suits."   
Martin grinned broadly and nodded.   
"Yes, I know, whatever...we really don’t need to hold something back.", reached Martin up to kiss Benedicts lips once, when the bartender put down the beer.   
Ben smiled, gave him a kiss back and then said,   
"Fortunately, it is much more pleasant in that way."   
He caressed gently Martins arm, that was lying on the bar. 

Martin smiled gently and nodded, stroked Benedict's hand and then took his beer and said,   
"So to the lovely team, which has enabled us this evening."   
Ben also raised his glass and nodded, before they both drank a sip.   
The bartender came again with the nachos and put them down – he was smiling. Benedict nodded,   
"Thank you."   
Martin also smiled at him briefly and then took one and bit it off. Ben turned his head back to him.   
"The film was really great Martin."   
Martin smiled at him, gulped down the nacho.   
"Thanks Benny...", stroked he over Benedict's side and lay his hand on his lower back. "I'm looking forward to you as a superhero, but at first I admire you again as Sherlock."  
"Oh yeah, that will be great, I really love you as my Watson.", smiled Benedict, then he grinned broadly. “I hope you didn’t acquire a taste for it and switch sides again when you’re snogging with Mrs. Watson.”

Martin laughed and pinched his butt.  
"You're a git. But it was good, the kisses with Amanda. But Jesus we have kissed each other ever so often."  
Benedict smiled, gently pulled Martin closer and bent down.   
"Do I need to convince you of my qualities?"   
"To kiss you is still amazing, Benny.", muttered Martin before Benedict kissed him lovingly.   
Martin replied softly his kiss, put his hand on Benedict's neck and deepened their kiss. Ben had put his arms gently around him, kissed him soft and intimate, bite Martin gently in the lower lip, before he gave him a short, light kiss on the lips and broke slowly apart.   
Martin beamed at him gently and muttered,   
"I love it, to be kissed by you, best kisses I ever had. Nevertheless, it would be completely different, if we would kiss in front of the camera. I don’t want to switch sides, I’ll stay with my man."  
Ben smiled gently and stroked Martin's back.   
"Then I am reassured.", winked he at first, before he said, "Your man is off to the gents. I’m back in tick, love.", kissed he Martins temple, then pulled away and disappeared.

Martin drank some sips of his beer, took two of the nachos in his mouth and looked around a bit.   
The tables were still taken, most of those who were there, were rather young adults, so they attract attention not only by their suits, but also by their age. He glanced again to the bar, looked at the two young women who were sitting around the corner, just next to Ben and him. He bowed his head and smiled.   
The two women also smiled at him and Martin began to grin as he recognized them.   
What was that for a big coincidence?   
The two women now also grinned at him.   
"Lisa!...Unbelievable."   
Lisa laughed and nodded freaked already out -inwardly-, since he had entered the pub with Benedict.   
Martin chuckled,   
"How long have you been there?"   
"Since a while now, since the red carpet was over, we hadn’t tickets for the movie. By the way, that’s Emma, my sister."  
Martin smiled at her, took her hand and greeted her.  
"Why hadn’t you said anything, we’re sitting next to you?”   
"We don’t wanted to disturb you two, you are here in private mode and I think you would like to have some time for you without screaming fans. And to be honest, we didn’t want to disturb your flirty-snogging session.", grinned Lisa now and Martin scratched his neck with flushed cheeks. 

Benedict came back through the crowd, saw Martin talk with the two women and put gently his hand on Martin's shoulder as he stood behind him. He smiled over to the girls.   
Martin turned his head around and beamed at him.   
Benedcit smiled softly and took some of the nachos.   
"That's Lisa and that’s Emma, they were earlier at the red carpet.", pointed Martin to the two women. "And Lisa can do magic.", grinned he together with Lisa, Emma laughed as Ben chewed and looked pretty confused.   
He swallowed down, greeted the two women at first and then bowed his head in deep confusion.   
"Haven’t you thanked her, hun?"   
"Yeah, I did, we had a little chat about you, Benny." 

Ben bowed his head and Lisa smiled at him,   
"He was sad because you were not there...and I said he just have to want it really badly, that he must make a wish."  
"Right...and then she said that John had wished Sherlock back and that it had worked. She has forced me with other fans to recall this sentence John had said at the grave. That he wants one more miracle from Sherlock and that he should stop being dead. Or in our case, I wish me one more miracle from you and that you will be there."  
Ben grinned now.   
"Seriously?...This is quite creepy that I was actually on the way."   
Martin nodded with a smile.   
"Yep. Crazy, right? So I just had to say thank you."

Martin put his arm around Benedicts waist, stood closer to him, took his beer again and drank.   
"Well, it was great that you were there Benedict, for Martin and for all the fans who wanted to know how it looks like when you two are kissing. Now they finally knew it.”   
Ben laughed and shook his head.   
"Why? Why it is such a big deal how a kiss between us look like?"   
"It's just...um, it's interesting and many want to see John and Sherlock as a couple and now they finally have a picture in their mind how it would look like. Even though it actually wasn’t on set and in costume. Most fans think that it is great that you are privately together, not all of course, but I think the most fans are happy about it. But some of them only wanted to see it in Sherlock. Anyway, you can’t make them all happy, right? We like it that way much more, you and Martin.", smiled Lisa.   
Benedict smiled softly and nodded, then took another nachos and Martin said with a smile,   
"Mark was quite curious. I think he will be very happy when he see those kissing pictures on Twitter.", chuckled Martin.   
"This is not only at Twitter, even at Instagram and Tumblr, Facebook and so on, pictures of you two, hugging and kissing. Some people have it uploaded already."

The conversation with the two young women didn’t break off, they shared another drink with each other, the two men had eaten their nachos, Ben had both women given an autograph and together they had made a pubselfie, before Martin and Benedict had said goodbye.


	43. Warm up

When they stepped out of the bar, it was raining in torrents, they both moved their shoulders upwards and Ben sighed.   
"Come on, let's go and look for a taxi.", grabbed Ben Martins hand.  
Ben was running faster than usual and Martin had to strain to come afterwards, because Ben could make much larger steps. Martin pulled slightly at Benedicts hand.   
"Ben! Wait! I can’t bridge five meters at a time like you.", smirked Martin and Ben turned his head to him.   
"Sorry...I just don’t want to get wet."   
"You're already soaking wet just like me, it makes no difference anymore."   
It was true, their coats were soaked, as the rest of the clothes, the hair dripping and Ben drew a sullen face, turned his head to the front again, ran slowly and stopped a taxi, which had just started up.   
The driver looked not very thrilled when they got soaked into the cab, they told him the address and then they drove off.   
Martin wiped his hair out of his eyes and then leaned back. 

 

The taxi driver stopped in front of Martins house in Potters Bar, Martin paid, wished him a good trip, before they both got out. It had been raining the whole trip, although it had become less.   
Martin walked with Ben to the front door unlocked it and entered the house with him. They both went out of the shoes and slipped out of the wet coats.   
"Shower or bath?", smiled Martin up at Ben.   
"I would like to have a bath with you."   
"Still awake enough?", asked Martin.   
It was shortly after 3:00pm and Ben had got up early, had shot the whole day and was thereafter driving to Martins premiere, they had been on the aftershow party and in that bar.  
Ben nodded with a smile.   
"I was tired when we were at the bar...but now I'm awake again, let us take a bath Martin and then we sleep in, enjoy the Saturday and Sunday before you fly back to Puerto for pick ups."  
Martin stepped closer to him, kissed Ben’s chest through the wet shirt and muttered afterwards,   
"Okay, then let us go upstairs love and get out of the wet clothes."   
Ben nodded, gave him a kiss on the wet hair, then broke apart and went upstairs with Martin. 

They had undressed while the water was running into the bathtub and already cleaned their teeth. Together they climbed into the hot water, sat this time in front of each other, knees looked out of the water and Martin leaned his forehead to Bens, he closed his eyes, felt how Benedict gently stroked his back and purred with pleasure.   
He stroked Benedict's side upwards a little bit and then slowly down, he ran his fingertips gently over Benedicts thigh and kissed his nose.   
Ben's eyes were also closed, he ran his nose over Martins and let his hand stroke back upwards into Martins hair, the other was on its thigh.   
Martin placed a gentle kiss on Benedicts lips and then sucked lightly on his lower lip, bit it and kissed him again.   
Ben sighed deeply, letting his hand rest in Martin's hair and stroked gently with the other hand Martins thigh along the knees and on the inside back up, ran his fingers briefly over Martins penis. 

"Hmm Benny, you can do that again.", purred Martin with pleasure and closed his eyes again, as Benedict's hand caressed again over his crotch.   
He put an arm around Ben, let the other hand ran over Benedicts thigh before the hand caressed her way to Benedicts lap.   
He heard Benedict purr deep voice, felt Ben's hand gently clawing at his hair at the back of his head, while the other enclosed his penis,which was half erected and stroked slowly up and down, with a little twist.   
Martin bit Benedict gently into the shoulder, placed on it afterwards a loving kiss, scratched Benedicts back and ran his fingers over Benedicts testicles. 

Ben purred with pleasure, bent his head down slightly and kissed Martins ear and his neck. His partner turned his head slightly to one side, offering more space for Bens kissing and distributed also small kisses on Benedicts neck.   
They sighed both, their desire for each other was huge, their stroking intense.   
Martins hand cupped Benedicts erection, drove slowly up and down it, let his thumb every now and then rub over the glans. Sometimes he broke his hand briefly, massaged gently Bens balls and crawl Benedicts back with the other hand.   
Benedict escaped a quietly appreciative sigh, he purred, let his legs sink into the water and he flung them round Martins hip. The lips sucking on Martins neck, his tongue licked over Martins hot skin at the neck. His hand moved slowly, but very hard and intense along Martins erection.   
He heard Martins low moan, took his lips from its neck as Martin lifted his head and looked at him with black eyes and an aroused gaze. 

Ben let go of his hand from Martins hair, along the shoulder, to the front of his chest, ran his fingers over it, down to the abdomen and then laid his hand on Martin's hip. His eyes rested on those of Martin, were dark, lustful widened and shone warmly at him.   
Martin smiled, let his hands move upwards on Benedicts sides and put them on his shoulders. He leaned forward, clasped Benedicts lips and kissed him tenderly, he sat down on his knees and pressed Ben gently backwards, so that he could put his head on the bathtub ledge.   
Ben put his hands on Martin's cheeks, leaning comfortably back against the tub, slid more into the water and bend the legs slightly. 

Martin was leaning with one hand on the edge of the bathtub, kissed Benedict more tenderly, let his other hand ran gently over Bens chest, down to the belly, again gently over the erection, then massaging gently Ben's buttocks.   
Benedict purred into the kiss, enjoyed Martins caresses and ran his hands through Martins hair.   
Martin broke the kiss slowly, smiled down at Benedict, had let a finger slid between his buttocks and stroked slowly to Bens opening. 

Benedict closed his eyes, moaned softly and slipped a little more into the water, nearer to Martins finger.   
Martin kissed Benedicts nose, then ran his own about it, watched Ben, he was lying there with a pleasureable expression and closed eyes. Only the head and a piece of his chest looked out of the water.   
Martin let slip the finger slowly into Bens hole and Benedict groan softly.   
Martin leaned down, kissed Benedicts ear and nibbled gently at the earlobe, he let his finger slip in and out very gently, took his time, added the second and change the angle slightly, so that he hit repeatedly Benedicts prostate. 

Benedict had his eyes closed, ran both hands through Martins hair, his throat escaped pleasurable moans. He enjoyed it totally, loved it if they do it slowly and tenderly, especially when he was in this position.   
Martin kissed his ear again and murmured softly,   
"Hello handsome."   
Martin lifted his head, looked at Benedict again, he loved the sight.   
Ben smiled softly, enjoyed Martins fingers in is arse.   
Martin let them slide out slowly and heard Benedict disappointed sigh. He kissed his lips once, then mumbled,  
"I’ve got you, honey. Just one moment...love."   
He ran his hand over Benedicts thigh up to the knee, over his knee and the thigh down again. He slowly slid into him, didn’t move, let Ben time to relax, blew kisses on his cheeks and moved slowly, as Benedict relaxed beneath him. 

Martin moaned softly, remained at this tender and slow movements, knew how much Benedict liked it when they made love slowly and gently.   
They both groaned softly and relish, the water sloshing in the bathtub with every movement of Martin.   
Martin bent down, nibbling again at Benedicts ear.   
"Jesus Martin, god, that's so great.", purred Benedict and let his hands ran down Martins spine.  
"What’s great?", whispered Martin hoarsely in Benedicts ear.   
"Everything...your teeth at the ear...this slow pace and your murmur...Jesus I love your voice."  
Martin kissed Benedicts ear, enjoying even this very gentle movements and Benedicts sight. He moaned in his partner's ear, ran his nose over it and said breathlessly,   
"I love yours Ben...and what you always do with me." 

Ben groaned when Martin hit his prostate gently. Bens hands ran over Martins back with pressure upwards into his hair, grapped it. He opened his eyes slowly, looked intensely into Martins eyes.   
"More of it, Martin...hmmmmmh, please more of it.", looked he with black eyes at Martin, felt the softly thrusts against his prostate and moaned loudly.   
Martin opened his mouth a bit, tiltled his head back and shut his eyes.   
"God Ben."   
He ran his hand again over Benedicts thigh on the inside with his fingertips, and then he took Benedicts erection in his hand, it was the same gentle and slowly pace, like his thrusts.  
Benedict clutched his hands in Martins hair.   
"Martin, please, a bit more...just a bit.", moaned he pleasurably and Martin let his pace become a little more intensive, a bit deeper and moaned with Ben. 

The bathroom light was dimmed, one could hear the sound of water, the soft moans of Benedict and Martin.   
"MartinMartin...god, I love your hands...", sighed Ben when Martin let the pace sped up a bit on his erection. "I can’t hold back any longer...", whispered Ben with relish.  
Martin bent down to his ear and whispered,   
"Then come...for me. With me"   
Martin kissed Benedicts ear, then sighed und moaned deep, he could hardly hold back himself.  
Ben clawed his hands more in Martins hair, he came with Martin, who softly moaned in his ear, biting his ear, then kissed it lovingly, and fucked them tenderly through their orgasms.  
"Benny..." 

Martins arm was trembling from the effort. He kissed Bens cheek, looked at him with a big smile.   
Ben smiled back, stroked through Martins hair, which was completely ruffled.   
"I love that."   
"I know Benny, I know how much you love it." He sits back on his feet, bent down and kissed Benedicts forehead, stroked over his hair and lay his hand then on Ben's chest, his finger ran circles. "Let's get out sweetheart, the water is getting cold and the bed is better for snuggles and cuddles.", muttered Martin, got a smile from Ben and a nod.   
Martin smiled again, rubbed over Benedicts chest and then slowly got up and out of the bathtub. 

Ben had stood up, took the towel, which Martin handed him and also got out of the tub.   
They dried off, went totally naked into the bedroom and lay down to the bed.   
Martin snuggled under the covers, slipped close to Ben, put his head on its chest, his arm around Benedict's belly.   
Ben put his arm around Martin, the other hand on Martin's arm. He stroked with his fingers slowly over Martins arm and closed his eyes. 

Now that he was in bed, Benedict noticed how tired and exhausted he actually was.   
The day on the set, almost without a break for him, the premiere, the Aftershow Party and the Pub, now the hot bath and the sex – he was incredibly exhausted. He had enjoyed the evening with Martin, was happy that they had spend it together.   
And for that he was totally okay to get up so early this morning.   
Martins breathe was steady and calm, he had noticed how Benedict had begun to stroke his arm. That fly around in the last weeks had exhausted him, plus Benedicts warm body and his pats had let him fall asleep immediately.   
He snuggled more against Ben, who kissed Martins head softly, the hand rested on Martins arm and he slowly fell asleep.


	44. Herne Bay

Hello,

I've some pictures for that chapter :)

http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/sites/default/files/HERNE%20BAY%20PIER_2.jpg

http://www.coastalconnect.co.uk/images/hernebay.jpg

http://baypromoteam.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Herne-Bay-lovely-day.jpg

 

Benedict had turned over in his sleep, was facing Martin. They lay both on their sides and on the same pillow, their noses were almost touching. Martin took a deep breath, scratching his cheek and put his arm around Benedict, who himself was already half awake and slipped a bit closer to Martin. When their noses met, opened Martin slowly his eyes and sighed.  
Benedicts hand was on his hip, stroked slowly to his back and pressed Martin closer.  
"Morning sweetheart." Matin muttered, pursed his lips and gave Ben a good-morning-kiss.  
It was soft and gentle and Ben snuggled even closer to him. 

Martin smiled, ran his fingers through Benedict’s dark hair, stroked him gently over the neck, back into his hair and played with the strands.  
Ben sighed; his eyes were closed; he enjoyed Martins warm, bare skin against his, and the playing in his hair.  
"Hmm, Martin...morning. What you do is nice, I love that. Please don’t stop that."  
Martin’s fingers played with the strands, ruffled sometime through Ben’s hair.  
"We don’t have to get up now Benny; we can cuddle, just let your eyes closed and enjoy it, love." He blew a kiss on Benedict’s nose and played again with the hair. 

Benedict nodded slightly; he purred under Martin’s caresses and gave him a kiss on the collarbone.  
"I would love to do something with you Martin, today. Somewhere without much hustle and bustle.”  
"Do you have something specific in your mind?"  
"Nah, would love to go a bit out of London, not far away, just that we can come back again later."  
Martin turned his head to the clock and then back to Ben.  
"It is shortly after 10am, let's have a cozy shower and breakfast, and then we think about our little trip. 

Ben nodded and then pulled away slightly. He opened his eyes slowly and looked at Martin, who smiled gently.  
"Oh, the monster has opened his eyes."  
Benedict smiled wearily and made a yawn.  
"Raaawwrr."  
Martin laughed.  
"Did you want to scare me? If so, it was rather cute than scary."  
Ben grinned broadly, pinched Martin gently in the stomach, who tried to fend off Ben’s hand.  
"I'm not cute."  
"You're a weirdo and a miserable dragon. That was a really cute Rawr, You won’t be able to scare someone with that, not even a little toddler." 

Ben poked Martin in the belly again, began to tickle him, and Martin laughed even more.  
"Stop Benny!" He gasped, laughing, trying to push Benedict away.  
"Nope, I don’t want to stop." Benedict laughed and tickled Martin at the belly and the sides. "Didn’t know that you're ticklish like that."  
Martin kept laughing and had no chance to fight back somehow.  
"Beeeennyyyy...please. Stop it. Please...” Martin gasped again under Benedict.  
"If you don’t laugh at the next Rawr and pretend to be scared!" Ben grinned down at Martin, who nodded wildly.  
"And you're making breakfast...and you drive, no matter where we go, so I can close my eyes again."  
Martin nodded more, kept laughing because Benedict still tickled him. He was already panting, because he was out of breath.  
Ben smiled, let him go and sat up.  
"Perfect!" He knocked again softly on Martin’s belly. "Come on honey, let us take a shower. And I’ll keep that point, if there is something else I want to have from you." He grinned and then gently stroked Martin’s chest.  
"This is unfair." Martin muttered and sat up.

After showering and getting dressed, the two men went down to the kitchen.  
Benedict sat on one of the bar stools.  
"What do you like for breakfast, love?" Martin asked and made meanwhile coffee and tea. "Hmm, cereals, that’s enough, hun." Ben smiled gently.  
Martin nodded, took milk and the cereals out of the fridge and a cupboard, as well as a bowl and a spoon for Ben and made himself a sandwich.  
"You said that you wanted to get out of London...how about the sea? Herne Bay? This isn’t far away." Martin said, bringing Ben his coffee.  
He sat down next to Ben and smiled at him.  
"Thank you Martin." Ben said and stroked gently Martin’s thigh. "Yes, Herne Bay sounds good."  
"Then let's have breakfast and after that we go and enjoy the day in Herne Bay."  
Ben smiled, nodded and poured cereals and milk in his bowl. 

 

The couple ate breakfast, cleared away the dishes, put on their jackets and shoes and left Martin's house. They walked to the car in front of Martin’s house and got in.  
Ben looked gently at Martin.  
"Is it okay that you’re driving?"  
"Yeah, it’s okay. Close your eyes, you still look exhausted, darling." Martin said and tipped their destination into the navigation device. “Okay, you can sleep an hour and a half." Martin smiled to Ben, who had already made himself comfortable in the seat; the scarf lay against the window; the head leaned against it.  
Martin rubbed gently over Benedict’s thigh and then pressed on ‘Start route’. He started the engine and drove off. 

The music played softly in the background; Benedict was silent, had his eyes closed. He didn’t sleep, was just listening to the music and rested. He looked forward to the day with Martin, just get out of London, enjoy time with his partner, have a nice lunch, walk by the sea - quality time together.  
Martin also was silent, listened to the music and focused on the traffic.  
He was looking forward to April, finally return for Sherlock, no more flying around, more time with Benedict as a colleague, a friend, his partners. Even if they shot throughout the day, in the evening they could enjoy time together without being separated from each other. They could eat together, review the day, sleep together, wake up.  
He glanced over at Benedict, who was still sitting with eyes closed in the seat, his chest rising and falling slowly. 

After an hour and a half, parked Martin on a public car park and turned off the engine. He unbuckled himself, leaned over and stroked Benedict's cheek, who began to smile.  
"Ah already awake." Martin gave him a kiss on the cheek.  
Ben smiled, opened his eyes and turned his head to Martin.  
"I haven’t slept, only rested my eyes." He sat up, stretched himself a little and then beamed to Martin. "It was a great idea Martin."  
"Yes, and the sun is shining."  
Ben unbuckled himself, wrapped the scarf around his neck, then opened the door and got ou like Martin. 

The two men stretched out again.  
Martin put his sunglasses on. He walked over to Benedict, who was waiting with an outstretched hand. He beamed at Ben and took his hand. They walked to the beach.

The weather was great; it was quite calm; the sun shone on a cloudless sky, and it was relatively warm. They strolled down to the water.  
Benedict stroked gently with his thumb over Martins back of the hand, and lay his arm around his shoulders as they reached the water. Ben pulled him gently closer and kissed his head.  
Martin smiled to himself, put his arm around Benedict's back. 

They strolled along the beach until Martin put his other hand on Benedict’s belly. He turned to him, smiled and raised his hand up, ran it gently through Benedict’s hair.  
Benedict put his arms around Martin, smiled down and put his forehead against Martins, closed his eyes and sighed when he felt Martin's lips on his.  
Martin pressed him closer; he let his hand slid out of Benedict’s hair to his cheek; his tongue licked over his lips gently. Ben parted his lips, ran his tongue over Martins, deepened the kiss with him. He let his hands wander down Martin’s spine, into Martin’s trouser pockets at the bum.  
Martin purred into the kiss, let their tongues dance together, ran his thumb over Benedict’s cheek.  
Their kiss was passionate, rather a fight with their tongues. Ben squeezed Martin’s arse, who moaned even more into the kiss and broke him breathlessly.

"I think we should rather do that later, when we get home." His heart was racing; he looked at Ben and mumbled, "Before we have sex on the beach. "  
Ben whispered into Martin’s ear,  
"God, I would prefer to be at home with you, now."  
"Stop with your hot whispering." Martin shivered and snuggled more into Benedict’s hug "This aroused me even more" He murmured against Benedict’s jacket.  
Ben pulled his hands out of Martins pockets.  
"Okay, let's go, Martin."  
His partner nodded, broke apart from Ben, took his hand again and pulled him forward. 

 

Their walk led them along the beach; their hands were still entangled. Benedicts scarf dangled loosely around his neck; Martin held his scarf in his free hand.  
After the beach they walked up to the promenade, looked for a restaurant and entered it.  
It was in front of the beach and had a terrace. The chairs and tables were standing outside, probably because the excellent weather today.  
They stayed outside, searched on the well-filled terrace a place and sat down.  
Benedict opened his jacket, looked over at Martin, who beamed at him through his sunglasses. 

Ben smiled gently, leaned comfortably in the chair and stretched out his legs a bit.  
"We have chosen the absolute right place today." Martin smiled across the table.  
"That's true, really nice here in the sun. But in a few days you'll have a bit more sun and a nice beach."  
Martin chuckled, stretched his legs out and touched Benedicts legs.  
"Yeah, but I'm glad when I'm back home. I'm really looking forward to Sherlock. You're there and we’re at home on the weekend, gorgeous."  
"I'm glad, too. And I’m looking forward to having you back at my side and to enjoy the evenings and weekends with you."

Martin took off his sunglasses, beamed with his blue eyes to Benedicts, which shone greenish and blue. Martin smiled lovingly and said,  
"At the last shooting, for the Special, I wouldn’t have thought that we would return to the set as a pair. I just hoped that my feelings for you would fizzle out."  
Benedict bowed his head, looked into Martin’s blue eyes, smiled at him and nodded.  
"Yes, unbelievable and now we return as a couple back to the set. You've turned my head Martin. Last year, I was really happy, that we saw each other on the Sherlock set, and I didn’t want that it stopped. On the other hand, I was very glad when it was over, and we had some distance. You know what I mean?" He asked softly.  
"Yeah, I know what you mean, it’s the same with me. I wanted to see you more often, longer and on the other side, I didn’t want that. To see you, meant to talk with you, to laugh with you, to work with you, to enjoy time with you, but I couldn’t have the closeness that I really wanted. Were you off, I missed you, but didn’t have to wrangle with the heartache that I had while we saw eacht other, and I couldn’t give you what I wanted and not received from you what I needed."

A waiter placed the menu cards and asked if they already have chosen a drink, shortly thereafter he brought them the ordered white wine, for each one a glass.  
They clinked, drank a sip and then looked at the menu.  
Before the waiter came back, they had opted for two different fish dishes that they wanted to share later. 

They just hung in their thoughts, had their heads turned towards the sea, which glistened in the sun all the time.  
The silence was pleasant; Martin enjoyed it; it wasn’t bad to be silent with Ben. Powered by the sea, his thoughts swayed towards a vacation and from that to a vacation with Benedict. He tried to remember Benedicts and his appointments for this year, wanted to know whether they had the possibility to go on a vacation, but was interrupted by the ringing of his mobile phone.

Benedict ended his thoughts when he heard the ringing. He turned his head to Martin, and their eyes met briefly before the Martin fished the phone out of his pocket. and ranging

 _"Simon, hey...how are you?"_  
"Hey Marty, yes good...and you? Hangover after the premiere yesterday? Sorry that I couldn’t come, but I have seen that Benedict had made it. The Internet is delighted of your red carpet kiss. However as everywhere there are people, who need to beef. "  
"Incredible! I don’t need to be informed about everything what is going on at the Internet Simon." Martin grinned into the phone. “I have the feeling that you want something or have you call me because of the kiss?"  
"I will keep you up to date. " Simon smirked and then babbled. "You're right. I wanted to know if Ben and you would like to come over tonight for a takeaway and some other stuff. My girls aren’t at home."  
“That sounds good, generally, but we are on a trip. and I don’t know when we are back."  
"Where are you?"  
"We went to Herne Bay this morning; we just wanted to be a bit out of town and yeah, to have a day just for us, before I’ll fly back tomorrow. Next time Simon, when I’m back. Just enjoy your evening without the girls. In a few weeks, we’re back for Sherlock, and then we can come over for a men’s night."  
"Ah, Herne Bay, we were there last summer; it’s great there. All right, I think we can manage that. The next time I’m just in the UK, I think we will find a weekend. Okay, then I will not bother you any longer. Enjoy the day with Ben and greet him."  
"We will call you. Benedict greets you back by the way. Well, try to behave yourself tonight. See you. Bye."  
He heard Simon laugh, then grinned as well. 

Martin put the phone on the table and smiled at Benedict.  
"Or did you want to go to Simon? I haven’t asked you."  
Benedict smiled softly and shook his head.  
"Wasn’t necessary, your decision was great. I would prefer to enjoy the rest of the day with you. Just the two of us, honey."  
"Great, I would also like to enjoy the day with you and also the evening. Just comfortably at home."

The waiter came back with the food, wished them a good appetite and then disappeared back into the restaurant.  
Martin and Benedict shared the food, ate only the half on their own plates before they exchanged the dish.  
Thereafter, they leaned back in the chairs, chatted for a little while, enjoyed the sun, emptied the wine and paid.  
Their second walk led them away from the beach, through the small streets of Herne Bay; they let their gaze wander through the shop windows, found a book store where they were staying for a while, until they left him with two bags.  
On the way back to the beach and towards the car, they found even a small cafe, where they settled, drank a coffee and ate a piece of cake.  
They agreed to buy Chinese takeaway on the way back home for the sofa, and then they made their way to the car without any stop. 

"Are you driving or shall I?" Benedict asked by the car, turned his head to Martin, who held the keys already in front of his face.  
Martin smirked, waited for Benedict to took the key.  
His partner grinned at him, took the key and said,  
"You skive off driving wherever you can."  
"It's nicer to be chauffeured." Martin grinned.  
He cupped Benedicts face in his hands and pressed a gentle kiss on his lips, then broke apart and went to the passenger door.


	45. Welcome back?

Martin was sitting on the plane, was relaxing in his seat, the legs were stretched out. He listened to the music on his mobile phone, had closed his eyes, the arms were crossed over the chest. He could hardly wait to be at home and that earlier than expected. Actually, he would be flown back in less than a week, would have arrived in London on Saturday afternoon and the next day he would have moved with Benedict to Cardiff. Fortunately, his pickups had lasted only two weeks instead of the scheduled three weeks, because they didn’t have to shoot as much as they thought. So he rebooked his flight to London and reserved himself a seat in the next machine. 

Puerto was beautiful, which was out of the question, but why would he stay there for a week, when Benedict was in London, and had also a free week before they would leave for Sherlock.   
He was delighted to be at home, he hadn’t said anything to Benedict, in fact they hadn’t talked or texted since the last night. He knew that Ben has some appointments today. 

He smiled to himself, listening to the music, as someone tapped him on the shoulder. He opened his eyes, turned his head, looked up questioningly to the flight attendant and took off the headphones.   
The woman smiled at him, had supplied him excellent for a while with food and drinks.   
"We’re landing every minute Mr. Freeman. Please remain seated with your seat belt fastened."   
Martin smiled, lay the headphones around his neck, he didn’t get the announcement by listening to the music.   
"Oh, great. Thank you!" He said smiling and sat up straighter.   
"Once already - welcome home, Mr. Freeman." She smiled and disappeared.   
Martin sat up properly, fastened his seat belt and then he looked out the window. His eyes sparkled.   
London.

The landing was run without any problems, they were absolutely on time as they landed on the English terrain and rolled to the gate.   
He was exhausted, he hadn’t slept very well on the flight, and now he had been waiting for his luggage for some time. He was one of the last passengers, who were still there; and finally his luggage was in view. He loaded it on the trolley and pushed it out to the taxi stands.   
There he had more luck. Hardly he was out, he had got himself a free taxi.   
The driver loaded the luggage in the trunk and drove Martin to Potters Bar. 

The cabbie helped to unload Martins luggage and wished him a nice day before Martin went to his house, put the bags in the hallway, pulled out the shoes and the jacket, and then went into the bathroom.   
It was already after 5pm, the luggage-thing lasted incredibly long.  
He stood in the shower, cold water rained down on him, he needed to wake up a bit more; felt as if he would fall asleep every moment.   
He hated cold showers, but it helped and he felt a bit more awake.   
He dried himself, hung up the towel, ran into the bedroom and looked at his bed.

He would love to fall into the bed, just rest a while and then get up again. Martin resisted the urge to just sit or lay down, he knew he would never stand up again. Instead, he searched some underwear, a shirt and a pair of jeans and got dressed. In the end he put on his socks.   
He walked back down, drank a glass of water in the kitchen and tore off the calendar until Monday, March 21.   
Just today in a week, they would be in Cardiff and start shooting for Sherlock.   
He smiled, looked forward to the free week with Benedict, they could enjoy them in London at Benedict’s place, at Martin’s place or could spontaneously go away a few days, as they had done it that weekend in Herne Bay.   
He went back to the hallway, put on his shoes and his jacket, and grabbed his car keys. 

 

Less than an hour later, he parked in front of Benedict's house.   
He got out, went to the front door and pressed the doorbell with an euphoric tap. The joy to see Ben every moment was huge.  
He waited, rocked forth on the toes and back on the hook.   
A moment later the door was opened.

Martin beamed up to his partner.  
His eyes glowed blue, his smile was big, but disappeared, when he saw Benedict's facial expression.   
It reflected neither surprise nor joy. Ben looked anything but pleased and his greeting, made not only disappear the smile from Martin's face, but also the beam in his eyes. 

Benedict had made an annoyed noise, pulled a grumpy face. His voice was gruff as he stepped to the side.   
"The day is really getting worse!"   
Martin blinked a few times, pulled his eyebrows together in surprise, entered slowly and still looked at Ben. He bowed his head and eyed his partner, he couldn’t decide whether this was a bad prank or if Ben had actually meant it. 

Benedict pushed the door rudely into the frame, his day had been atrocious. Not only this day, but also already the last week and now Martin was there; that caps it all.   
Martin flinched together, when the door fell loudly into the lock; he looked at Ben, he was absolutely irritated. A look at Benedict's face and he knew this man was really angry, it wasn’t a bad joke, it was real.   
"Ben?" Martin asked gently, put his hand on Benedict's upper arm.   
His partner looked pissed, he didn’t welcome him with a hug or something, he just went into the living room.   
Martin was confused. That wasn’t how he imagined the reunion. 

He followed Benedict into the living room, who was lying on the couch again. He lay there with a loose T-Shirt, sweatpants and socks, had apparently read on the couch, before Martin had rung.   
"What's the matter honey?" Martin asked quietly and looked down to Benedict.   
"What are you doing here? You wanted to be back on Saturday!" Benedict said angrily and that made Martin angry as well.   
"Can you stop talking to me in that tone! The pick-ups haven’t lasted as long as they thought, that's why I flew back earlier."   
“That's great!" Ben said sarcastically, the tone was rough.  
"What is going with you? Can you fucking stop talking to me like that and tell me what your problem is?" Martin said angrily and looked down to Benedict, who now gesturing towards him.   
"That you simply show up!"   
Martin's eyes widened, he came a bit closer to Ben.   
"Are you crazy? Calm down Benedict! I wanted to surprise you; last week you said, you would miss me and that you couldn’t wait to have me back!"   
His partner snorted angrily.   
"Yes, that was last week! Your surprise was unnecessary, Martin, I could have lived without it!" 

The words slowly infiltrated Martin head, he took a step back, breathed in the air. It has hurt and hit him very much. He swallowed and cleared his throat.   
"Excuse me? What did you just say? " Martin asked again and Benedict replied waspish and rough,  
"Oh come on, you understand me well enough. I could have lived without your stupid surprise, it would have been enough if I had seen you on Saturday!" 

Martin looked at him, his heart was racing. To hear it again hurt even more, he swallowed again, searched for words, didn’t find them and then he heard again Benedict's deep voice, which wasn’t smooth, not warm, as usual; it was rude, loud, tough and cold.   
"If you're already here, could you just say something, instead of standing around stupid and useless?" 

There was again complete silence, Martin found his voice again, breathed out.   
"Ben... I’m... I was coming back for you, so that we have some time for us."   
Benedict stood up, came closer to Martin, shook his head furiously and spat Martin the next hurtful words in his face.   
"You didn’t get it, right Martin? You didn’t have to fly back home for my sake. For my part you could have stayed in Puerto! That would have pleased me!"

Martin looked up into Benedict's eyes, couldn't believe that Ben really meant what he was saying. The words hurt him extremely, he ran his hand through his hair, put the thumb and the forefinger on the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes briefly.   
"Are you serious? Come on Ben, stop this fucking crap now, that's really not funny anymore!"  
"Martin, are just stupid or wasn’t the sun good for you? I can live without it, without this stupid surprise, especially without you! I mean it! It would have been much better if you had stayed in San Juan! I wouldn’t have needed you back now!"

The words were hurting him, but as much as they hurt him, they made him angry. He looked upset and hurt, pointed with the finger at Ben.   
"You told me you missed me! And now you’re pulling that fucking bullshit? I could have lying around on the beach one more week, but why should I stay in Puerto, when you're having a free week. I thought you would love to have me back! And then you aren’t able to greet me properly and tell me what your problem is? Are you fucking daft!?"  
"Now I'm the bad one, because Mr. Martin Freeman couldn’t relax at the beach? You could have written, that you would come back rather than to plan such a stupid surprise!   
“Are you even listening? I didn’t say that this is your fault! I didn’t want to laze on the beach, because I rather wanted to be with you. I wanted to spend time with you, if we’re now that lucky to have the time to do that!"  
Benedict shook his head, annoyed, snorted, turned back, away from Martin, and then gesturing in his direction.   
"We have time for us when we’re on set for Sherlock. Did we have to spend every minute together? Am I not allowed to have some time just for me? Is this so hard to understand?"

Martin breathed sharply, hardly believe his own ears.  
"No one has said that we have to spend every minute Ben! Sherlock is entirely something else. That’s work, not private. Now we have private time. Time for us. And I thought we spend it together, just the way we like to do it."  
"Good! And I want to spend my time not with you. Have you got it or shall I say it again? It’s fine for my sake, if you fly back to Puerto or what ever you want to do. I don’t care a pap for it. I just want to have some time for me and I can’t need you for that!" Benedict said with a cold and angry voice.

Martin gasped again, his whole body was tense. Benedicts words, his looks and the tone of his voice hurt him tremendously.   
He watched Benedict as he sat down on the sofa again.   
"Did you mean what you said Benedict, are you serious?“  
"I meant every word, every word of it, damn it! Can you listen properly?"  
"Do you know what you're saying? And how much you hurt me with that?"  
"I don’t care, I just want to be alone! Get it?"  
Benedict took his book in his hand which lay on the coffee table and opened it. 

Martin followed his movements with the eyes, stood as rooted. His eyes were dull, had lost any brightness, the anger came back, but he was more disappointed and hurt.  
His eyes, his posture, his facial expression and his tone showed actually how extremely hurt Martin was; how much Benedict had hurt him with every word, what had come out of Ben's mouth since Martin had arrived. 

"Shall I go? Is it what you want...that I go? " Martin asked and Benedict not even looked up from his book; he just nodded  
"Yes, now you got it, finally. I want you to go! We see us anyway in a week."  
Martin blinked a few times, made the next step back, waiting for a response from Benedict. He looked up at him and the book in his hand, saw that his eyes were moving slowly.   
He read. 

Martin turned away.   
"Then I go if that's what you want."   
He left the living room, went to the door, put his hand on the door handle, and heard Benedicts call from the living room,   
"I don't need you!" 

Martin's hand was shaking, he opened the door, pushed through the gap and dropped it into the lock.   
His way leads him to the car, he put himself in, he tried not to lose his temper, breathed deeply a few times. But his heart raced like mad, it beats fast and hard against his chest; it was bleeding.   
What was happening here?   
He didn’t understand it.


	46. Searching for a distraction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a small one today :-)  
> The next chapter will be longer.  
> J.M.C.

Martin stayed a while in front of Benedict's house, before he drove back home. 

At home, he had been lying on the sofa, with closed eyes, trying to understand what happened at Benedict’s place.   
The words had hurt him so much. With each word, Benedict had hit the same wound again and again.   
They had argued from time to time during their friendship. They had said things that neither he nor Benedict had really meant; but those were minor things, a short set of acting without due consideration, an inappropriate tone. It lasted not even ten minutes and the squabbles were over, at least, as soon as they saw the hurt look of the other one. They had apologized, forgave each other, then forget it, and laughed about it later because they didn’t know why they had been grumpy with each other. 

This was something else.   
In Benedict's eyes he had seen how serious he was, that he meant those words, he had repeated it, had looked him in the eyes, even though each signal by Martin had shouted, how much it just hurt him.   
And Benedict hadn’t noticed it, had spewed words - gruff and rough, cold and hard.   
Martin ran his hand across his face, swallowed the lump in his throat down; heard again the words 'I don't need you.'.   
He stood up abruptly, gulped down the next lump in his throat. He needed something to do, he didn’t want to think about it now.

His intent to seek some things to do, did not work.   
He had been waiting for a call - for Ben, a message, a phone call – all night long.   
But Benedict hadn’t called or texted, there was no excuse - just nothing.   
Martin had been lying in bed. And while he was waiting, he had played the fight over and over again in his head. He was looking for an explanation, but the only thing he found, was anger, anger at Benedict, which was mixed with his other feelings. He was hurt, disappointed, angry.   
And the more he played the fight in his head again the more he got angrier, was more frustrated and more hurt. 

Tuesday passed by.  
He had been lying on the sofa, trying to distract himself with television, but by lunch his mobile phone had rang constantly.  
Benedict.   
His disappointment and anger were too big, he was too hurt, as that a phone call would be enough.   
He rejected all of Benedict’s calls, until he turned off the sound.  
However, the mobile phone was blinking; calls, messages - all from Ben.   
Martin didn’t react or opened one of the messages.   
As he saw it blink again, he grabbed the phone and threw it on the armchair, where it stayed in the corner, until the next evening. 

 

Martin came out of the kitchen, had made himself a cup of tea, put it down on the table and then took the phone from the armchair. It was Wednesday and since yesterday it was lying there without that he had paying attention to it.   
He entered the password, sat down on the sofa, saw the countless texts and missed calls, probably all from Benedict, Martin suspected.   
Was he serious? Did Ben believe seriously, a lousy excuse via the mobile phone would be enough to make up for what he had said on Monday?   
Martin snorted and pushed his eyebrows angrily together, as the phone was blinking again.   
He rejected the caller before he had read the name properly, and as the name came to his mind he was annoyed.   
He dialed Simon's number with the speed dial and put Simon on speakerphone.

"Ahhh, hello, my cute Hobbit, have you time for your best and beloved friend?" Simon joked.  
"Sorry, Simon, I was a bit too fast with the rejecting."  
"I've noticed that. I thought I’ve bothered you. Work, you know?“  
"No, I'm back in London, since Monday afternoon. Pickups were faster done than you think."  
"The messages are getting better. Great that you're back, Martin. I’m bored, actually I wanted just to chat with you, but since you’re back and Maureen is out with a few friends and Matilda is staying with her best friend, you could come over, with Ben."  
"Um. Yes. I can come."  
"What is with Benedict, isn’t he available?“  
"I don't know, whether he can or not, or what he's doing. Should I bring takeaway?"  
"What? He's not with you, is he on the road or what?"   
“No, he isn't. I don't know Simon, and I don’t care. What is with the food? Do you fancy some takeaway?"  
"At first I’ll stop asking any further until you're here. Indian would be great. I have a few beers, if you can’t drive home, the bed and a breakfast welcome you with open arms. See you in a bit. Yes, Martin? We are talking here. I’m really glad that you’re coming over."  
"Yes, thank you. I get dressed, then I get the food and come to you. Bye.“

He hung up, pushed the phone aside and then stood up. 

Martin wore jogging pants and changed into a pair of jeans, recharged his phone, ordered the Indian takeaway, so he didn't have to wait there.   
Simon hadn’t said what he wanted, but that wasn’t necessary, Simon was ordering always the same when they’ve Indian takeaway or ate at an Indian restaurant.

He was in the kitchen, wanted to wait a few minutes before he drove off; the man on the phone had said that it could take about forty minutes.   
He drank his half cold tea, leaned at a drawer and looked forward to Simon. He would be a good distraction.  
When the bell rang, he settled down the cup, went to the door and opened it. 

Benedict stood before him, with jeans, a dark jacket, glasses, the hair was tousled by the wind.   
Ben said nothing, seemed to search for words, opened his mouth, closed it again and just looked at Martin.   
"You can go right back, Benedict!" Martin said seriously, looked at him and tried to close the door, as Benedict drawn out an arm.   
"Wait! Martin. Please." He mumbled his plea, but Martin shook his head.   
"There's a reason why I haven’t respond your calls or messages, Benedict. I don’t need a flippant excuse, like 'Ooh, man, sorry Martin, I had probably a bad day. Come one we laugh about it.’ " He impersonated Ben. "You can drop that act Benedict! You said you don't need me. So goodbye." He pointed to Benedict's car.   
Ben swallowed, looked at him.   
"Let me explain it Martin... please. Let me explain this terrible Monday evening, please."   
“I'm not listening now Benedict! Just get out of here, go back home. I don't want to see you now. And I didn’t want to see you before Monday, I didn’t want to talk with you, not in person, not on the phone and not via a fucking text. You hurt me Benedict, you really hurt me, and the words you had spilled out weren’t forgotten after five minutes, and then we’re fucking laughing with each other. Benedict... I... just go, please just go. I see you on Monday morning on the set."   
He swallowed, tried to turn away, but Benedict grabbed his wrist.   
"Martin... I... I thought we were driving together." Benedict muttered and he felt how Martin shook his hand off.   
"When I say that we see us on Monday in the studio, we will barely drive together. Don’t you think?. Go Ben. Go!"   
Martin looked at Benedict again, then dropped the door into to the lock in front of Benedict's face. He leaned back against the door, closed his eyes and hoped that Benedict would just go. He heard how the steps fainted.

He had leaned awhile on the door, had waited; waited that he could go to Simon, he needed a distraction, urgently.   
He didn’t want to see Benedict at the moment, he wasn’t willing to listen or to talk with him, to listen to his excuse; it hurts too much.

When he left the house later and walked to his car, Benedict was still there, he sat in the car in front of Martin's house.   
Martins walked with a fast pace over to Benedict's car, he knocked angrily on his window.   
The man turned his head to him, let down the window, he looked at Martin - remorse, apologetically, gently.   
Martin cleared his throat, turned the head away and looked at him again. 

"When I come back home, I hope for you, that you're gone!" 

Benedict gulped, said nothing, looked to Martin, who went to his car, got in and drove away.


	47. Simon's distraction

Benedict ruffled his hair, he knew he had hurt Martin, deeply hurt him, with his words and his behavior. They weren’t meant like that, not in that absolutely hurtful way. He hadn’t noticed that, because he was just too upset; too mad with each person.   
And Martin was the last straw that broke the camel’s back. 

Ben was ashamed; ashamed of his outburst and for all the words that he had spilled out. Rough, cool and hurtful.   
He hadn’t noticed, how much Martin's eyes, voice, words, his posture, facial expressions had screamed, that he was more hurt than anything else.   
Later, when he had laid in his bed, he had registered what he had said to Martin and how Martin had looked. Deeply hurt, disappointed, angry.   
He hadn’t dared to call or write him on Monday night; hadn’t known what he should say or write. When he finally found words, Martin had ignored him. He could understand it, probably he would have reacted the same way, would Martin have told him, that he could live without him and wouldn’t need him.

He punched the steering wheel.  
He wasn’t just ashamed, he was also angry at himself. He had hoped that Martin would listen, listen to what he had to say. Now, he wondered what he had actually expected from him.  
Probably he had shown Martin with every gesture and every word that he wasn’t important, that he didn’t need him, that he could live without him and his love.   
At least he would have felt exactly that, if Martin would’ve screamed these words.

He swallowed, rubbed his hand with which he had punched the steering wheel and ran his hand through his hair.   
He looked around and breathed. He should drive home, who knows when Martin was coming back, and he didn’t want to upset him even more.

 

Martin had quite an effort to concentrate on the traffic.  
He picked up the food, and then drove to Simon.   
He was at the door with the food bags, breathed and then rang.   
Simon came to the door, opened it and smiled at him.   
"Hey, the delivery service is there."   
Martin nodded and lifted the bag.   
"Yeah, all is there... hope the beer is cold."   
Simon smiled, hugged him amicable and then stepped aside.   
"Yes, it’s ready in the living room." 

Martin came in, gave Simon the bags and took off his shoes and jacket.   
Simon closed the door behind Martin, he waited for him and went with him into the living room.   
"Make yourself comfortable." Simon said and put the food on the coffee table. "I have to bring us cutlery." 

Martin nodded, sat down, pulled the food already out of the bags, two appetizers and two entrees.   
He pulled his mobile phone out of his pocket, put it on the table, with the display facing the table, he didn’t want to see it blink again, but in the pants it was too uncomfortable.   
He ran his fingers through his hair, somehow he wasn’t hungry anymore. Perhaps the appetite would come back when they started. 

Simon came back into the living room; he pressed Martin’s shoulder.   
"You look sick, Martin. Fight?" He asked softly and gave Martin a fork as he sat down next to him.   
Martin took the fork, smiled at him gratefully.   
"Hmm... let's eat first otherwise it's cold."   
"Okay, let's eat. When you want to tell me what happened then I’m here to listen to you. Otherwise, we just drink more beer and watch some crap telly."  
Martin smiled and nodded. 

The two men took their food, lounging into the sofa and began to eat. The beer was open and stood between their legs, and Simon smiled at Martin while they ate.   
"Great that you're back, Martin. I'm looking forward to the evening, not only because I was bored. Evenings with you are always fantastic."  
Martin lifted his head and smiled as well.   
"Thank you for the invitation to the boys night. And I'm glad to be back. This whole flying around in the last three months was really exhausting. I am glad that the pickups were done quickly, otherwise I would have returned on Saturday and have to go to Cardiff one day later, without a proper rest."   
Simon nodded, chewed, swallowed, and said,  
"Yes, it was a lot flying for you the last months. So it’s great that you are back and have a few days off. I’ll pep you up tonight" Simon grinned and Martin smiled.   
"I'm not a small puppy, which was lost in the forest."   
"But some people find you as sweet as a puppy." Simon laughed and Martin was infected by him. 

Martin was happy to be here; Simon always managed it to cheer him up with the right words, and to distract him. He could stop himself, didn’t push him or force him, he waited until Martin said a word and wasn’t angry with him, if Martin said nothing.   
Martin sipped his beer, put it back between his legs.   
"Would you like to have me as your puppy?" Martin grinned and Simon smirked amused.   
"Yeah, I think so. You're pretty easy to handle and cute. I just would need a lot of food."  
They laughed again.

After that they ate in silence.   
Martin put his two empty boxes on the table, leaned back, put his feet on the coffee table as well as Simon. In one hand he held the beer, the other laid on his stomach.   
"God, I'm full. I was replete after the appetizer, but it was too delicious." Martin muttered.  
Simon nodded, turned his head to him.   
"Yes, I feel the same, but I couldn’t stop myself. And there’s still cake in the fridge; Maureen had baked yesterday. Well, maybe later."  
Martin turned his head to him.   
"How can you just think about food now? What sort of cake?"  
Simon smirked and raised an eyebrow.   
"Cheesecake, as she had known you would come over."   
Martin grinned.   
"Okay. Cheesecake is great, and there is always space for cheesecake in my stomach." 

Martin drank again from his beer, then looked at Simon again, who gently smiled at him.   
"Television, making out or talk?" He winked and Martin had to smile.   
"You can forget the making out, sweetheart. Telly maybe later... it would be great if we could talk."   
Simon grinned widely, then nodded and smiled.   
"I’m listening. What happened, hmm?" He asked gently. 

Martin looked at him, pushed the bottle back between his legs   
"We had a fight on Monday, a really bad one. I came back from Puerto, wanted to surprise him. He opened the door with a really bad mood and his welcome was, that the day would probably get worse. I don’t know what exactly was going on with him. At first I thought, he wants to prank me somehow, but he also punched the door into the lock and well, his whole appearance seemed quite real. When I asked what was wrong, he didn’t answer. He just asked me why I would be back in London. Well, he was really upset because of my surprise, and said things that have hurt me a lot."   
He looked down at his beer, then over to Simon, who bowed his head. 

"Wow, ok. What did he say? What has hurt you so much, Martin?"   
"That he would have liked it, if I would be still in Puerto; that he would find that much better. And that I could fly back again. That he doesn’t want to see me, that he could live without me. That he doesn’t like my surprise. He wouldn’t have the desire to spend constantly time with me and that he wouldn’t need me."  
Martin ran his fingers through his hair, rubbed his neck, didn’t look to Simon. 

"You can’t be serious? Ben hasn’t said that, hasn’t he?" Simon's voice was incredulous.   
"He has, several times, again and again. Literally - I don’t need you. And all these other things, I don’t want to repeat it again. At some point I asked if I should go; he sat back on the couch, book in his hand, not looking at me. He said, that this would be what he wants. I told him that I would go. When I was at the door, he called out - I don’t need you," He cleared his throat, drank a few sips from the bottle really quickly. 

Martin breathed, raised his hand.  
Simon nodded and closed his mouth again.   
"It hurts, it really hurts. To hear that all from a person you have missed badly, from the one you love, from the person, which is incredibly important to you. With every sentence he has hurt me deeply; with his words, his pitch, his whole behavior; with all this information between his bad words, whether I’m too stupid to understand that he doesn’t want to see me and why I would accuse him, that I am not able to lie on the beach now, because of him. All this came to me like... ‘Get out of my life’, or at least like... ‘Disappear as my partner, because I can live without you and that would be better for me, anyway’."  
He looked at Simon with sad eyes. 

"I'm absolutely amazed and can’t understand what was going on with Ben. I think we both know him not like this. I know you two have sometimes a quarrel, but that’s nothing in context to that fight. I would be hurt as much as you are. I can understand you, Martin. Wow. I don’t know what to say. It's hard, what he has said. But, I don’t think, that he wants a break up, Martin. Who knows what was going on. It’s actually quite untypical for Ben. I think, it wasn’t meant that way; he was angry and had used the wrong words.” 

"Then he could have fucking say something, Simon! I'm his partner! If something bothers him or he is stressed or whatever, then he should simply open his fucking mouth. How should I know what’s wrong? If he doesn’t talk to me about it, I can’t know what’s wrong."  
"I know. Martin, that wasn’t right. You're absolutely right about that, he should have talked with you. Has he called you or something since Monday?"  
Martin looked at Simon, nodded, turned the empty beer bottle in his hand.   
Simon reached his hand out.   
"Beer? Or something else?"  
Martin bowed his head, thinking.   
"Is the offer to use the guest room still up-to-date?"   
Simon nodded and smiled.   
"Yeah, of course. It’s nonsense if you would drive home with a cab and your car is here."   
Martin smiled and handed Simon the bottle.   
"Thank you, um,... beer."   
"Okay." 

Simon stood up, took his empty bottle and the boxes and a few moments later he came back with the new beer bottles.  
"What did Ben say?" He asked Martin, as he sat down.   
Martin shrugged and drank a sip.   
"I don’t know, he had called and sent messages on Tuesday. I haven’t answered the calls and I haven’t read his messages. Today he was at my door, after we both had phoned. I sent him away. He wanted to apologize. Well, he said he would like to explain what was going on, and I told him he should go, that I didn't want to see him. I wasn’t ready for it, I didn’t expect him." He sighed and took another sip. "When I left the house later to drive to you, Benny’s car was still there, I’ve sent him away again. This look... he looked so ruefully... but I couldn’t talk with him. I wouldn’t have listened to him; I was just too angry and hurt. Respectively, I am. I'm just angry and really hurt." He looked to Simon. "Was that stupid?" He asked and Simon shrugged. 

"No. I don’t know. You're hurt and that is absolutely understandable. Perhaps it was the best thing, to send him away. You weren’t ready to talk, so it was the right thing to send him away, before you fight again. It felt right for you at the moment, so it was okay. And you seem to miss him really much, despite what he has said, because there was just this lovingly ‘Benny’ again." Simon smiled. "Talk to him, when you’re ready, Martin." He added softly.   
"Of course I miss him, Simon. I love him, if I wouldn’t do that, I wouldn’t feel so much hurt. I was just overwhelmed; with him, with me, with my feelings. I was furious, totally disappointed and hurt, and somehow it was good to see him and on the other side I couldn’t bear it."   
"It was okay Martin. He will be coming back and then you can talk about it calmly."  
He pressed Martin's shoulder, smiled gently.   
"Benedict loves you Martin, whatever has made him this angry, he loves you. And probably the words were chosen just incredibly wrong. I know that this isn’t an excuse, because you should first think about it. However, listen to him, the next time he tries to explain himself. Where is suddenly that great chemistry between you two? He's your partner and your best friend. That was your first really big fight; Ben has overreacted and his words aren’t excusable, but he loves you Martin, don’t doubt that."  
“Yeah.” Martin nodded. “Can we change the subject now, drink some beer, eat that cake and watch telly?" Martin asked.

Simon smirked.   
"Hungry again? And which movie? "  
"Not really, but cheesecake is too good. Let's watch the Cornetto trilogy." Martin smiled slightly.   
"Seriously? We both are in it." Simon grinned  
"Yes, do you mean that I don’t know that? That's why we'll watch it. Come on, it was great to shoot it... everyone of that." He chuckled. "Besides, I just watch movies with myself in it." He added at the end.   
Simon began to laugh and Martin laughed as well.  
"Move your nice little bum, instead of talking such a shit. You can insert the first DVD. I bring us the cake." He grinned to Martin, who was also on the move now. 

"Simon... thanks for listening and the comfort" He muttered in Simons direction.   
"No need to thank me, Martin. What would I be for a friend if I didn’t distract you at least? You know I'm always there. Now be a dear boy and get the telly ready, I'll be right back, my friend."  
He tapped Martin on the shoulder, smiled and left the living room. 

 

The rest of the evening and half the night, they had spent on the couch; ate cake, drank beer, watched the movies; laughed about the shooting and in between they talked with Maureen, as she was back from their friends.   
Martin and Simon ended their boys' night shortly after 4am.  
On the next morning, Simon and Martin had eaten breakfast before Martin left.   
He was incredibly happy that Simon had distracted him and the talking had doing him good.


	48. Perfectly on time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God, I'm sorry for the long absence.  
> I was a bit busy in the last days.
> 
> Have fun with the new chapter.  
> M.

In the following days, Martin hadn’t heard anything from Benedict.  
His mood was repeatedly between hurt and disappointment, and rage. He had played the fight in his head over and over again; the words still hurt as much as Monday evening. It wasn’t a good feeling; his stomach pulled together uncomfortably every time and his heart pounded against his chest – hard and hurtful.   
The good mood and the joy to return to the Sherlock set were gone; were gone since their fight. Even though, he knew that this was just because of that fight with Benedict.   
He didn’t know how he should act with Benedict on Monday, what he should say or do.   
The fight happened in their private lives.   
The best would be to act with him as his colleague.   
He didn’t want to carry out their private problems in their professional lives, this wouldn’t end well and it would be absolutely unprofessional. 

It was already Saturday, tomorrow he would go to Cardiff, then seeing Benedict on Monday. Now he was relieved about the fact, that they had two different hotel rooms - like always.  
Dinner was over and Martin was lying on the sofa already in his pajama pants and a tee shirt. He lay under a fleece blanket and turned on the television.   
He was stuck at Take me out; Amanda had meant that it has been quite often funny. However, his eyelids had fluttered shut in one of the commercial breaks.

 

Benedict had parked his car in front of Martin's House, walked to the door and pulled out his key.  
He put it in the lock, hasn’t turned it around yet.   
He hadn’t contacted Martin in the last few days. Martin hadn’t wanted it, he had wanted to give him time.   
Would it have been upside-down, he also had needed time.   
However, he had thought the whole day about driving to Martin, but just an hour ago he had made the decision to do it.   
He was afraid that Martin would reject him again, but he wanted to clear that before they would go to Cardiff, before they began to shoot for Sherlock.   
Benedict took a deep breath; he opened the door slowly.  
From the living room one could just hear the sound of the television. It was dark and the only light, which lit the hallway, came through the open door of the living room.   
He entered the house, closed the door behind him, took off the shoes and jacket, and went to the living room. 

The lamp next to the sofa was switched on and the next episode of Take me out was on air.   
"Martin?" He asked softly into the room.   
Ben got no response, went slowly to the sofa and around it. He bowed his head when he saw Martin asleep.   
His partner lay sideways on the sofa, one arm bent under his head, the other laid above the blanket, which Martin had drawn up to the chest. The hair was slightly tousled and the beard already older than three days.   
Benedict closed the distance, took the remote that was lying in front of Martin's chest, and switched off the telly. He placed the remote control on the coffee table again, and hunkered down in front of the sofa, watching the sleeping Martin.  
It was shortly before 11pm; should he really wake him up and ask for a conversation?   
He swallowed, raised his hand, let it float in the air above Martin, pondered a moment and let his hand sink.   
He stroked across Martins arm; slightly, just with his fingertips; slowly upwards and downwards to the back of Martins hand and his fingers.

Martin hadn’t heard the front door, he hadn’t heard Benedict say his name and he hadn’t noticed that he had switched off the telly. However, as something gently caressed his hand and his arm, he was wide awake.   
He opened his eyes frantically, saw Benedict in his view, eyed him, and pulled his arm away in horror.  
"Benedict!" He touched his own chest, closing his eyes.   
"Sorry,... I... I am sorry, Martin. I didn’t want to scare you." Ben muttered quietly.

Martin took a deep breath, then rubbed over his eyes, ran his fingers through his hair. He scrambled up a bit, supported himself on his forearm, then on his hand and sat up properly. He pulled his knees to his body, put the arms around them and looked down at Benedict, who still sat in front of the sofa.   
"What are you doing here? And how got yo... well, right… you have a key." He sighed, turned his gaze away and looked across the room.   
"Yeah, you said you gave it to me, so that I can always come to you if I want to."  
Martin turned his head back to him.   
"Oh, really? You have been alone long enough now, and need me? How it comes?" Said Martin with a sarcastic voice.

He saw Ben swallowing, looking to the ground, raising his head again.  
"Martin. I'm... can I explain you what happened on Monday... or do you send me away again?"  
“Actually, you should have explained yourself on Monday; I have asked you what is going on with you and I got no response!"  
"You... you get them now."  
"Then finally start, I'm tired!" He looked down to Benedict.  
He raised his eyebrow expectantly; his eyes sparkled broken and angrily.

"I... damn it... I was such a jerk, Martin; I... I'm terribly sorry for the things I said to you, they weren’t meant like that. It was unfair to dump my entire frustration on you. Your presence has been just the straw, who broke the camel’s back, after a few terrible days. I didn’t want to attack you personally, I just lost it completely. I’m so sorry Martin."  
"Yeah... stupid. I’m really stupid, that I rang your bell exactly on this day. I should have known it. I mean I can look into the future and into your fucking head."  
"No! Yes!... Yes, somehow it was… no, not it was not stupid." Ben sighed, scratching the back of the head.  
"Shit or get off the pot!“ Martins voice was full of anger.

"Martin, you weren’t the real problem. No matter, who would have rung, he or she would have been the trigger. Last week, the weekend, Monday, was simply too much. The shooting, the appointments in between, the whole time somebody was hanging around with me. I haven’t had a minute for myself. Then I had the feeling to have delivered a bad work. At the weekend, I thought, I would have time on my own, but then my parents came over and invited me to dinner. I had to hold back myself, I was so upset and grumpy. It was just too much. And then on Monday, rushing to the appointments, sometimes the people were not prepared, everything lasted longer and always was somebody with me. And in between the fans on the road. The people were just too much.” Ben murmured. “I was looking forward to the free week, which started on Monday evening. Finally, I was alone, it was quiet, no one was there, it was just me, and then you rang the bell " Ben muttered and looked up to Martin.

Martin had listened to Benedicts words and looked at him – angry, grumpy and upset.  
"We had texted last week, Benedict!" He points with his finger to the coffee table, where his mobile phone was lying. His voice was loud. "Should I read your fucking messages out loud? Or do you even remember what you wrote?!” Martin said harshly. “That everything is okay, that you’re alright, that the set is fun, even if it would be a little exhausting; that you had a great dinner with your parents!” Martin listed the texts. “You wrote to me and told me on the phone, that you feel great and now you tell me that this was a fucking lie? Can you tell me what’s going on with you? Are you mad?" He asked angrily. 

"I... I didn’t want to cry a river. We know that it is sometimes like this, that you haven’t time for oneself." Ben muttered quietly.  
"I rather know that something isn’t okay with you, instead of hearing lies about your mood and feelings! You wrote to me, you missed me and that you can’t wait to see me again; then I am standing at your door and you… you can’t open your mouth and talk with me? Apart from your hurtful words! You haven’t even welcomed me home!"  
"I know it was stupid. I didn't say anything, because I didn't want to worry you.“  
"Maybe it would have been better, if you should have told me what’s wrong; then I would have been a bit worried, had tried to take care of you... instead of telling me that you can live without me and these other things." Martin muttered hurtful and heart broken. 

Benedict stood up slowly. Martin eyed him.   
He sat down sideways on the sofa next to Martin, whose knees were still pulled against his body, the arms around them.  
He turned the head to Benedict. He felt Benedicts hand, who stroked across his shoulder, he shook it off, he didn't want that now.  
"Stop it! This isn’t the right time for cuddling."

“Sorry.” Benedict mumbled. “Martin, I didn’t want to hurt you like that. I'm incredibly sorry, for every word, for all the things I said to you. I’m really ashamed of myself. I wanted to tell you what is wrong, but I was just so angry at everything. It wasn’t you, you did nothing wrong. I would have been very pleased about your lovely surprise... just on another day.” He looked to Martin. “I... that what I said, was somehow... true. I wanted to be alone, to have some time without someone around me, no colleagues, no fans, no friends, no family, no Martin. I just needed time to breath. And just because of that, it wouldn’t have been a big deal, if you just would have come back home today. I love you Martin, and I never wanted to hurt you this much as I did on Monday. I have missed you. You can’t imagine how much. And I was looking forward to... well, to today. I've really missed you, but I was kinda glad that you were still in Puerto and I might be actually alone. I can’t live without you, Martin. I need you by my side, I really need you, you're important to me, very important; you're one of the most important people in my life and I can no longer imagine a life without you. I didn’t want to have to miss you in my life, not one second. It was wrong what I said, how I said it,... that, I have let you go. My behavior and my words are absolutely not to apologize."

Martin looked to Benedict, eyed him.  
"You said earlier, I know how it is; how it is not to have time for oneself. We both have the same profession, constantly surrounded by other people. I know how it is Benedict, when it becomes suddenly too much, when you just want to lock all the doors and windows, when you just want to have time for yourself. You should know that I would have understood that! You could have said, that it is nice that I'm back, but that it was just too much lately and that you need some time for yourself. It would have been okay, totally okay. What wasn’t okay, is what you said to me. You did hurt me very much; verbally and non-verbally. I never experienced that in any relationship so far. It really hurt, and when I think about these words, it still hurts, really hurts, Benedict. Each word you spilled out and your whole composure, was... as if it doesn’t matter to you, as if our relationship isn’t important to you and as if you don’t care about it. It lets me doubt all week, if you really love me, Benedict. I am your significant other and you can’t even tell me that you'd like a bit of time for yourself? What happens if you're dissatisfied with other things; things which affects our relationship mainly?”

Benedict looked at him, swallowed several times, kneaded his hands. His eyes rested on Martins, whose eyes were still dull, sad and hurt. Benedict closed his eyes briefly, it hurts him to see Martin like that and knowing that it was his own fault.   
Now he wasn’t the one who was there to cheer him up and to say, that everything would be all right, but he was the one who was responsible for Martins sad and hurt mood.   
He opened his eyes again; his gaze was contrite, apologetic, warm.  
"I'm so angry at myself, it does hurt to see you like this and to know that you are hurt and sad because of me. That I’m the idiot, who has behaved wildly off the mark. I don't want that you doubt my love for you, Martin. I’m happy with you. I’m so glad to have you at my side. I love you so much, it feels like home with you. You're my home, Martin. And I'm sorry, that I couldn’t show that on Monday. It was a huge mistake not to talk with you. I should have talked with you, you're right. In the future, I will talk more openly about my feelings, if something bothers me. Or... or am I too late? " Ben muttered sadly.

"You're not too late. You are perfectly on time." Martin said softly. “I wouldn’t have been ready to talk with you, earlier. I wasn't ready on Wednesday, that's why I sent you away. I was overwhelmed, with you, with the dispute, with myself. I was unable to cope it, when you suddenly stood in front of my door, and I was too angry with you. It would have been ended in the next big fight. Benedict, I can’t forget your words, that will take a while. This wasn’t one of our typical squabbles and I believe that you know that; but I take your apology and forgive you.” Martin looked to Benedict. “Please, just one promise for the future; please talk to me, no matter whether I'm worried afterwards or not. I'm rather worried about you, as not to know what is going on with you. That worries me even more."

Benedict's heart was racing, he had been afraid that he had fucked it up. He kneaded his hands again, looked at Martin.  
"Thank you. I promise you, that I will talk with you more openly in the future. And it was okay, what you did on Wednesday, I would have done safely the same, would it have been reversed. I'm glad that you listened right now. I thought you would be angry with me… well, you said that you don't even want to see me before Monday."  
"Like I said, you are perfectly on time." Martin smiled a bit.

Benedict smiled too, tilted his head; he wanted to hug Martin, but he didn't know if Martin wanted it now.  
"Will we drive tomorrow to Cardiff, Martin?"   
A nod from Martin.  
"Can I stay here?“  
Martin nodded again.  
"Can I sleep in the bedroom with you? Just next to you... we don’t need to cuddle, if you don't want that."  
Martin breathed out, closed his eyes and nodded. He opened his eyes again, rubbed briefly across his face, drove his hand through his hair and then looked at Ben.  
"I'm tired Ben, uh, let's go to bed." He scratched the back of his head. “Rather, I go to sleep, you don't need to, if you want to watch telly or do anything else."  
"I'm going with you." Martin nodded, detached himself from the blanket, stood up, and put the blanket back on the sofa. "You can go upstairs, I clean up my stuff and then I come."

Benedict nodded, stood up as well, looked at Martin again, and then he went into the hallway.   
He turned on the light, went upstairs into the bathroom and after that he went to the bedroom, undressed himself and lay down. He breathed out and rubbed over his eyes.   
He missed Martin, despite the fact that he was actually in his nearness. He was such an idiot, if he would have told the truth about his feelings and his mood, they could have spent a few nice days together, after he had a few days just for himself. Just like the day they spent in Herne Bay.

Martin cleaned up his stuff, turned off the telly properly, as well as the small lamp next to the sofa, before he also used the bathroom and then came to Benedict.   
He looked to him, came to the other bedside, lay down under the blanket, but turned his back to Benedict. He switched off the light on the bedside table.  
"Good night, Ben."   
Benedict turned his head to him, then turned to the side and looked at Martin's back.   
"Sleep well, Martin.", he muttered. 

 

Several minutes passed away; Martin was staring out of the window, he couldn’t sleep.   
Benedict looked at Martin's back, he raised his hand, reluctantly put it on Martin's upper arm; he was waiting for a response.   
Martin stiffened under Benedict's touch and waited.   
Ben stroked with his fingers across Martin's upper arm, who slowly relaxed a bit.   
Benedict slipped closer and breathed Martin a kiss on the shoulder, through the fabric of the tee-shirt.   
Martin closed his eyes, felt Benedicts lips again, as well as the hand, which gently stroked over his back one last time.   
Ben was behind him, with him on the same pillow, but he no longer touched him; Martin could hear his deep voice, gentle and warm. 

"It's lovely that you're back, sweetheart."


	49. On the way to Cardiff

Martin had been lying awake a long time. He had thought about their fight and Benedict’s apology. He was glad that Benedict had come to him, that they had more or less made up with it. The mood on the set would have been horrible and impersonal on Monday, even if they just read the new script.   
He rolled himself back and forth on the bed, turned from one side to the other. He didn’t know how to lie comfortably any longer, each position was uncomfortable. He turned on his back and opened his eyes, turned his head in Benedicts direction - but the side of the bed was empty.

It was bright in the room, the sun shone through the window. He looked at the place where Benedict had been lying tonight. He pushed his eyebrows together in surprise. His gaze roamed through the room, to the open door, back to the bedside table, remained on the clock.   
12.51pm.

His eyes widened. How long had he been awake when he was woken up just now, Martin asked himself.   
At night, he hadn’t seen the alarm clock, he had been lying on Benedict's side and he had lain with the back to Ben all night.   
He sat up, ran his hand across his face and the other hand through his soft, grey hair. He swung his legs out of the bed, stood up, stretched and scraped over the belly. He left the bedroom with shuffling steps, walked slowly down the stairs and heard noises, which were coming from the kitchen. 

Barefoot, with tousled hair, dark circles under his eyes, and beard, he entered the kitchen. He was still wearing a white tee-shirt and his dark Pajama pants, and looked at Benedict, who leaned with the belly against the kitchen counter and looked out of the window.   
Martin looked around briefly, two cups of tea were standing next to Ben; the tea bag hung still in one cup, the other one looked empty: the stove was on, a pan stood on it.   
It smelled delicious.  
Curry.

Benedict had heard the padding of Martin's bare feet on the tiles in the kitchen, he turned his head to him.   
He was awake for a long time; and before he had gone for a shower, he had just laid in bed, watching Martin in his sleep. Since Valentine's day he had deposited a few clothes and other things at Martin’s place. After the shower, he had gone quietly back to the bedroom, and had dressed himself with a pair of jeans and a thin dark blue sweater. After that he had been in London and had taken his luggage.   
When he was back, Martin had been still asleep, and so he had read in the living room, before he had begun to cook. 

He looked over to Martin, turned to him, smiled slightly and opened his arms warmly.   
Martin watched him as Ben turned to him and opened his arms invitingly. He hesitated briefly, and walked over to Ben; he stood in front of him, glanced briefly up and put his arms around Benedict with a little sigh; and then he felt Benedicts gentle hug. At first he was a bit stiff in the embrace, but then he closed his eyes slowly, relaxed more and more, cuddled the face into Benedict's neck and remained silent.   
Benedict pressed him into a loving and tender hug.

"Morning Martin." He murmured gently.  
"Good morning."  
"Hmm, I wanted to wake you right now. It's already one o’clock."  
"Yeah, I saw it on the alarm clock in the bedroom. It would have been okay, if you had woken me up earlier."  
"You said yesterday that you are really tired and... well, because I already had woken you up late at night yesterday, I thought you could need a sleep in."  
"Yes, uh, thank you. I don’t know when I fell asleep. I was awake a while." He murmured, and felt Benedicts lightly stroking fingers across his back.  
"I was pretty early awake, had a shower and I was in London and got my stuff. So we don’t need to pick my things up later. And well, I have made you a cup of tea and started cooking. I thought maybe you're hungry now."  
"Ah, okay, I haven’t noticed one of these things. Thanks for the tea, and the Curry smells also very tasty. Actually, I'm starving. How long does it take yet?" Martin asked, and slowly dissipated from Benedict's embrace.   
"It should be ready in a tick."  
Martin nodded, scratched his cheek and looked at Benedict.  
"Okay, then I stay and go to the shower after lunch... and try to make myself presentable. I look like a dosser right now." He smiled gently.  
Benedict smiled with him and ran his hand lightly through Martin’s hair.

They looked at each other and Martin stroked across Benedict's belly, before he dissipated completely. He took the tea, threw the tea bag away, sat down on one of the bar stools and sipped the tea.   
Benedict had already set the kitchen island with plates and cutlery, and even the Curry was ready now.  
Martin watched him silently, waited until Benedict came to him with the frying pan.   
They only wished each other a good appetite, and after that they were eating silently. The atmosphere was still tensed.   
Benedict didn’t know how far he could go, and Martin couldn’t pretend that all was well and as if nothing had happened and all was forgiven and forgotten.  
Of course, he had forgiven Benedict, he had accepted the apology, was glad that they had talked yesterday. It was great to see him, to have him back, but he couldn’t forget the cool and hard words. Benedict had hurt him too much with these words and his behavior. This would take a few more days and he was grateful that Benedict respected that.

Martin had stood up, had told Benedict that the Curry had been very great; he thanked him for lunch and then went to the upper floor.   
He was a while in the shower, washed, brushed his teeth and shaved.  
Back in the bedroom, he dressed - as Benedict, a pair of jeans and a light dark sweater. He made the bed, handle his bags, took them down and put them in the hallway.

In the meanwhile Benedict had cleaned up the kitchen, and had washed up the dishes, the cutlery and the pan.   
He was now sitting in one of the armchairs in the living room and looked up when Martin walked in.  
His partner looked at him and came slowly to him. He just looked at him and leaned down.   
Martin laid his lips on Benedict's lips – for a tender and brief kiss; then disbanded and ran his hand through Ben’s hair.   
It was the first kiss since Martin was back in the UK.

"It’s okay Ben, if you hug me from time to time."  
Ben slowly opened his eyes, looked up to Martin and put his hand on its hip. He nodded.  
"Okay... um, when do you want to go to Cardiff?"  
Martin looked at his watch and then back to Benedict.  
"If you ask me, we can now, it's shortly after two o’clock and it will take us three hours to Cardiff. Who knows whether we are in a traffic jam, and I don’t want to approach too late."  
Benedict smiled gently, stroked across Martin's hip again and stood up slowly.  
"Then let us go now, that’s fine with me."

 

They brought Martin's luggage in the car, entered the route in the navigation system and then drove off.   
Benedict was driving; Martin was sitting next to him, and in the background, the radio announced just the latest news, weather and the traffic reports. The sun was shining through the windows.   
In the last days it had become warmer, the temperatures were like spring, and the sun showed off himself more and more - pushing the clouds aside.

The two men had remained silent; they were on the road for more than an hour now. At the moment they were between Reading and Swindon, in the middle of a traffic jam. Just a few minutes ago, they were driven through a construction site and at the end of it – the traffic jam had waited for them; in which they were stuck for a quarter of an hour now.   
Martin had his mobile phone in his hand; Benedict had opened his window, the arm was hanging outside, and the music on the radio was interrupted by a current message.

**"On the M4, towards Swindon - between Bradfield and Hermitage happened a serious car accident, if you are not already in the traffic jam, please bypass the area widely. Currently, the accident back up to seven miles from the accident site. The road was temporarily completely closed. It’s passable now, but just a single lane. The traffic is still a stop and go. On the opposite lane – Hermitage to Bradfield is also a small traffic jam and stalled traffic. Please, just drive on, rather than provoke a second big traffic jam or accident. There is nothing more to see here!"**

Martin looked up from his mobile phone and sighed as well as Benedict, who shook his head.  
"He could have said that a bit earlier, not after nearly an hour. We could have left the road a few miles ago. Now we’re stuck until Bradfield."  
Martin stowed the phone away, nodded and ran his hand through his hair.  
"I would say, our plan to arrive early tonight... fucked up. Do we have something to drink in the car?"  
Ben looked to him, nodded and pointed to the back seats with a soft smile.  
"Behind my seat is a bottle with water.“  
Martin smiled a bit, looked behind Ben’s seat. He turned around and bent down between his own and Benedict’s seat, and stretched out his arm to the bottle. He grabbed it and sat down properly again.  
He opened the bottle, drank several sips and looked afterwards to Benedict.  
"Do you want to drink something?”  
Benedict nodded and took the bottle from Martin. He drank a few sips and handed it back to Martin, who put the bottle in his foot well.

"Martin?" Said Benedict gently, after they were rolled a bit forward and stood again.  
"Yes?"  
Benedict laid his hand on Martin's thigh, stroked gently a few times back and forth before he pulled the hand back.  
"It's nice, that we're going together to Cardiff, and it is nice to know you ‘home’."  
Martin turned his body and head to Benedict, he laid his hand on Bendict’s shoulder and draw with his index finger, little, soft circles on the sweater – along the shoulder.  
"It is great to be home, or at least in Wales, though, you're there, so it's still home.” Martin smiled a bit. “Ben, thank you, that you have come to me yesterday. It was good to talk with you, instead of being in a bad mood at the read-through on Monday."  
"Hmm, I just missed you Martin, not only the last few days. I’ve missed you badly in the last weeks."  
"You were also missed Ben. I missed you dreadfully. Give me a little space and a bit of time, okay?"  
He caressed Benedict’s hair on the side of his head – gently, softly and tenderly.  
Ben turned his head to him, smiled warmly and nodded, before he rolled again a few meters forward and Martin drew back his hand.

 

The accident and the only single lane road were the reason they lost a lot of time. Again and Again they rolled a few meters, stopped, rolled again, and stopped again.   
After they had passed the accident, they were able to drive much faster: Yet, they had lost a lot of time.  
The navigation system had said 5.13pm.  
The actual time said 7.02pm.   
They had checked in, brought their stuff upstairs, had made themselves a bit fresher and had been going out for some dinner. 

In the meanwhile they sat in Martin's room, at the foot of the bed.   
Martin looked up to Benedict, the ride to Cardiff after the traffic jam and also their dinner, had been more relaxed. They had spoken more with each other, exchanged looks and touches and a few gentle hugs. 

"Ben?" Martin asked.  
"What’s up Martin?"  
"Uh,... would it be okay if we sleep separately? I couldn’t sleep very well last night, because I was thinking about Monday, our fight and your apology. I couldn’t switch it off, with you next to me. I would like to sleep that night and be a bit alone; I need some time for me. It's fine between us, Benedict. I just need some time for me. I would like to close the door behind that fight, to start tomorrow that lovely relationship with you again."  
Benedict tilted his head, looked at Martin and nodded slowly. He started talking and got up.  
"Hmm, it’s okay Martin. Then I go up to my room and see you tomorrow morning for breakfast."  
He caressed gently through his partner’s hair.  
"Thank you." Martin said gently.  
"Then, good night and I hope you can sleep a little better tonight."  
Martin looked up, nodded and murmured gently,  
"Not so fast... you have forgot to kiss me good night,... Benny."

The gentle ‘Benny’ from Martin, made him smile, let his eyes shine; somehow it took a huge burden from his shoulders and the heavy stone of his heart.   
He leaned down a bit, put his hand on Martin's cheek and gave him a loving, short kiss on the lips, which was reciprocated by Martin.   
They broke apart; Benedict straightened again and let his hand slide down from Martin's cheek.

"Good night, Benny."  
"Good night, honey."

They smiled at each other again, before Benedict left Martin’s hotel room. 

Martin dropped back to the bed, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath - his legs dangling out of the bed.   
Today, it was the first time really awkward and uncomfortable to remain silent with Ben.  
He wanted to use the time alone, to let go that fight, to bury the words deep, deep down in his mind and to close the door behind that fight, behind all these words.   
He wanted to look forward to tomorrow, to Benedict.  
He wanted to enjoy the time with him; the time when Ben was his Sherlock and he was his Watson.


	50. It feels like something is broken

On the next morning, Benedict stood at Martins door, he knocked and waited that Martin would open it. The door opened shortly after Benedicts knocking; Martin hunkered down behind the door, smiled from the floor up to Benedict.  
"Hey, good morning."  
Ben looked down, smiled to Martin, who was doing up his shoelaces from his second shoe.  
"Morning Martin."  
Martin stood up, took a step to Benedict and stroked gently over its chest.  
"Thank you for the space yesterday evening and during the night. It has done me good. I hope you could sleep well too." He stretched up, breathed Benedict a kiss on the cheek and one on its mouth.  
"I'm glad that you could sleep better tonight. I have also slept very well." Benedict smiled gently.   
He bent down, kissed Martin's cheek and took him briefly into his arms.  
Martin cuddled himself into Benedict’s arms, closed his eyes and breathed in Benedict's scent.   
They held each other in the arms – silently.  
They just enjoyed the presence of each other. 

Before they made their way to the Pinewood Studios, they had eaten breakfast in the hotel restaurant.   
Martin looked forward to the next three month of shooting Sherlock with Benedict again. The remaining evening last night and the night alone had done him good; he could breathe again and he had turned of the deep thoughts about the last week. He had closed the door behind this terrible Monday evening. He didn’t want to talk about this any more. They had talked about it, all was said; Benedict had apologized, had declared himself; he had promised, he would rather speak about such things in the future and be honest with Martin. He didn’t want to discuss the dispute with Benedict repeatedly, it wouldn’t wipe the slate clean. Martin had forgiven him and Benedict had learned from his silence.

At the studios was already a colourful bustle, most of the people who should be present for the read-through for the first episode were already there. The greetings were a lot of warm welcomes, all were pleased to see the big Sherlock family again.   
Benedict stopped in front of the conference room and talked with Una, while Martin walked already in the room.   
The tables were placed like an ‘U’, so that they could see each other during the read-through. 

Martin looked around, discovered Mark on one of the tables; he was the only one who was currently with Martin in the room. Mark grinned to Martin, who opened his jacket and took it off while walking.  
"Watson is there, then Sherlock can't be so far." Mark smiled happily and took Martin in his arms.  
Martin returned the embrace. In one hand he held his jacket.  
"Mycroft... good to see you, your brother is out there and flirts with Mrs. Hudson." Martin grinned broadly. "Nice to be back, Mark."  
Mark smiled, looked down at him and nodded.  
"Yes, nice to have you back too, Martin. Steven and I could hardly wait."  
Martin grinned widely.  
"Did you write down a kiss or other dirty things – for Sherlock and John?"  
"We start with a hot sex scene on the kitchen table between Sherlock's experiments and Mycroft caught you... no I’m just kidding. We changed nothing." He grinned mischievously and Martin laughed.  
"Honestly Mark, I wouldn’t be surprised if I would read it in the script. I mean... it’s you."  
"I know. I wouldn’t be surprised at all. I would trust myself to do that."   
They laughed together loudly.

Martin grinned at him again. He scanned the room, searched for his name tag on one of the tables and went to it. He hung his jacket over the chair and filled his glass with some water. After a few sips, he looked to Mark, who had come to him.

"Steven is still absolutely flabbergasted - As I. I told him what I’ve seen at the Baftas and he said, I would have too much fantasy and would slowly become insane. Even with the pictures - he thought it would maybe be good photoshop work, but the videos from the fans have convinced him." Mark chuckled.  
"We haven’t even seen the pictures, or any videos of them. Neither of the premiere." Martin smiled.  
"I can show you some pictures later, or Amanda, or all the other people, who have Twitter or something similar on their mobile phones. It's your fault, that my Twitter account nearly exploded, because of questions about Johnlock. It was a bit annoying at some point."  
"Well, Mark, that’s the thing if you have Twitter." Martin grinned at him.  
"You two could kiss or making out in the Watson and Holmes costumes and then we load it up on Twitter." Mark grinned evilly.  
"You'll get hate messages, if the fans shouldn’t see a kissing scene between John and Sherlock in one of the episodes next year. You're more evil than the devil himself. He would be afraid of you." Martin laughed.  
"But the fun we would have until next year! Imagine that, that would be a big fun and worth doing it. I can live with the messages and I can live with being more evil than the devil himself." Mark laughed.   
Martin shook his head with an amused grin on his face, until Mark smiled again. 

Benedict entered the conference room with Una; they had just finished their little conversation.   
Una knew it since the beginning of February, as she had talked with Ben on the phone. After that, she had read it in the newspaper and eventually Mark said it this morning to her.   
To be precise, it was the first and most exciting topic this morning, that came up when the team and the actors had arrived on the set.   
Ben walked across the room, over to Mark and Martin.  
Martin had turned his head to him. He smiled at him.

Mark turned his head to Benedict, too.   
"Ah, my dear brother Sherlock." He smirked, and opened his arms warmly.  
"I don’t embrace you, Mycroft! I just hug John," Ben said arrogantly.  
"Okay, again from scratch.” Mark grinned. “Ah, my dear colleague and friend Benedict. It’s so nice to see you again." He smiled and raised an eyebrow."Is that better?"  
"Acceptable... nice to see you, Mark." Ben smiled and grinned, and hugged him now amicably, before both men broke apart again.  
Benedict smiled. He circled the whole tables and went to his place next to Martin. He opened the zipper of his jacket, took it off and hung it on the back of the chair; his hand ran briefly across Martin's lower back.

Ben felt still a bit sick because of their dispute.   
His inappropriate behavior and the harsh words, were absolutely in no relation to the problem. He had completely lost his temper, just because he was stressed and wanted to be alone a few days. And that he had lied to Martin in the telephone calls and messages previously, didn’t make it any better.   
He cursed himself for his lies, that he hasn’t said anything to Martin; that he hasn’t told him, that it was just too much in the moment and that he would love to have some time for himself; that the dinner with his parents wasn’t good, just too much, that it was for him just a disaster. In each message, he had pretended as if everything would be well and fine, instead of telling Martin the truth.   
His guilty conscience tormented him, to haven’t been honest with Martin and this horrible result of it – that big fight over a few days, a week. He had the feeling that he had broken and destroyed something between them and that didn’t feel good.

Martin had taken a seat and with every minute that passed by, the conference room filled up more and more. He looked to Benedict, put his hand on Ben's thigh, stroked a few times back and forth, before he withdrew his hand with a smile.  
He turned his head to Amanda, who was sitting on the other side next to him and started a conversation with her.   
Amanda and Martin talked a while, until Mark and Steven started the read-through.

 

They made good progress; had have a short break in between, so that all could get a bit of fresh air and some food, before they started again until midday.   
A lunch break was planned, longer than that breakfast break; so that anybody would be able to eat properly; would have time to interact, using the toilet or just go outside for a little walk.  
Martin and Ben had eaten together with the others.  
Martin had roped off after the lunch, to get out, enjoying the sun and stretching his legs.

He was standing outside with his face to the sun; he had crossed his arms in front of the chest; his eyes were closed, although he wore sunglasses. He was just in a shirt and his jeans, but the sun warmed him up well enough.  
In the distance stood a few people from the team, they chatted and smoked with each other.   
He heard the door opened behind him, someone joined him or the other teammates; the door fell back into the lock and the steps become louder when the person came nearer to him.   
He waited for a sign, a touch, a voice, so that he knew who it was. 

The steps stopped directly behind him and the next thing he felt were two long arms, which hugged him gently. Then he felt lips on the back of his head, which pressed him a tentative kiss on the hair.   
The hug and the kiss were pleasantly familiar.

"Hey... love." Muttered Martin, lowered his arms and put his hands on Benedict’s arms.  
"Martin."  
Benedict didn’t trust his own voice.   
Martin bowed his head a bit to the side.   
Benedict took a deep breath, and Martin could feel Ben’s raging heart through the fabric of his shirt and his pulse, which slapped in the same fast rhythm against his own fingertips.  
"Hey, what’s going on, Benny?"   
He stroked gently with his fingers across the arm of his partner.

"I feel so bad, because I did hurt you so much. I know we didn’t want to talk about the topic anymore, but I need to say something. I can’t take back these words or make my idiotic behavior and the stupid lies undo, even if I apologize a hundred times; but I must do it again.” Ben’s voice was just a murmur. “I'm incredibly sorry, Martin. Not only for that grumpy behavior and my words on Monday, but also that I lied to you. That I pretend that everything is alright, although I felt uncomfortable; although it was all too much, I was flooded by all these stimuli, unfocused and had the feeling that my work was not really great in that week. I should have said something to you, then we wouldn’t have fought. I am a really bad partner if I didn't even manage to say that I’m not feeling good. I punished you for my own faults and my bad week, and I hurt you so much with my words. I deeply regret what I did on Monday evening, Martin. And somehow I have the feeling that I have broken and destroyed something between us - our chemistry, our friendship." He gulped, leaned his forehead on Martin's back of the head.

Martin wanted to interrupt him, they had agreed not to discuss this topic again; but he had remained silent, it seemed to be important for Benedict to get that off his chest and so he had listened carefully to him, until Benedict also remained silent. 

The people from the team, who had stood outside were gone inside. They were alone now.   
Martin turned around slowly, still hugged Ben. He pushed his sunglasses up into his hair and laid his hands on Benedict's upper arms. Martin took a deep breath and wanted to answer him as the door opened again and Amanda stretched her head out of the door.  
"We want to continue guys; being sweet and making out must defer until later. We are all waiting for you." She chuckled.  
Martin had turned his head to the door and looked at her seriously.  
"We need a few minutes. You lot have to wait another ten minutes. It’s important."  
Amanda tilted her head, was surprised by Martin's face. She nodded and went back inside. 

Martin turned his head back to Benedict, who looked at him expectantly.  
"Benedict... what I have to say, it’s maybe hard, but I must tell you that I'm not sorry for you. I’m not sorry that you feel bad or that you have a bad conscience; because, as you already said, you have caused this situation even by your own lies. If you would have been open and honest with me, you wouldn’t feel bad now.” Martin looked at him; his eyes were soft. “Nevertheless, I don't like it to see you like this. I just didn’t understand why you didn't tell me all those things while I was away. I didn’t get it, why you lie about that stuff; you could have said that you feel like you have deliver bad work, that it is just too much hustle and bustle in the moment, that you're stressed. I mean, love... you were able to tell me in January, that you wouldn’t feel comfortable if we would come out in public. Benny, sweetheart... “ He caressed Benedicts upper arms. “Where is this openness and confidence all of a sudden? I love you, and I love it to spend my time with you, but this doesn’t mean that we must hang around on a 24/7/365 basis. It would have been totally ok, if you had talked about your feelings; then I would have flown home and I would have left you your space, given you time, wait until you'd come to me or called me. It’s very important to me to know how you feel, because you're important to me Ben. I care for you, really much, and I want to know how you feel. It doesn’t matter if I’m worried afterwards. I’m rather worried than hurt because of a lie, words and your behavior. No matter whether you need a distraction, a listening ear, a shoulder to lean on, a cuddle or some time alone. I need just to know what you need, so that I can give you, what you need."   
His gaze was gentle, his thumbs caressed through the fabric of Ben’s shirt on the upper arms. 

Martin tilted his head and continued.  
"And you're not a bad partner, you're a great partner and I couldn’t imagine a better partner at my side. You are a great man in a relationship, a better person, than in our friendship - if this is even possible. Maybe you aren’t perfect for others or for yourself, but for me, you're perfect, Benedict. You just made a mistake, everyone makes mistakes, and fighting is part of a partnership, a friendship, a relationship. We have never argued really seriously. There have been huge clashes now, maybe it was time for it, after seven years of partnership and friendship... and a bit of a relationship.” He took a deep breath, looked at Benedict, took his face in both hands and stroked with his thumbs over Benedict's earlobes.   
"You didn’t destroy anything, hun. My admiration for your work and everything that belongs to it hasn’t changed. My love for you as a friend and my love for you as a partner hasn’t changed... not a bit. Actually, I just love you more, because of that fight I notice how much you mean to me and that I didn’t want to live without you; that I can’t imagine my live without you. You lied to me, you hurt me, you made sure I feel bad - you have given me time, you apologize, I did forgive you and you gave me time again, made sure I feel good again."

Martin cupped Benedict’s face, who looked at him with large, guilty, and warm eyes. In his face, was written how much he repented and how much Martin's words had done him good.  
Martin smiled gently, breathed him a loving kiss on the lips. He still cupped his face.  
“Everything alright with you, hun?"  
"Hmm, everything alright again. Thank you. It was pretty stupid, wasn’t it?” Ben muttered.  
The loving words from Martin had taken the last ballast from his shoulders and loosened the last knots in his chest.  
"Yeah, pretty stupid. Case closed, darling?"  
"Yes, case closed." Benedict nodded with a smile.  
"Come on, love. Let us go back inside, before Mark’s fantasy run wild and he thinks that we have uninhibited sex at the studio wall.“  
"I’m sure it would be exciting."

The two men looked at each other, at first with a smile, which become a little grin, a big grin, a giggle and in the end a resounding laugh.

The pair laughed heartily; it was a relief for both of them.   
Benedict pressed him closer. His chest vibrated from the laughter. He calmed down slowly, bending down to Martin's ear, who put his arms around Ben’s neck.  
"Oh my love, I would have pushed you against the wall, kissed you passionately, bitten your neck. I would have licked to your Adam’s apple and suck you there. And then I would have pushed down our pants and shorts; you would have wrapped your legs around my hips and then I would have fu... "

"Stop!" Martin interrupted him. He was breathing really hard, his mental cinema was already switched on and it was really good. "Do not dare to make me hot now with your deep, gentle voice and your dirty fantasy. We’re stuck here until this evening. Do not make my mental cinema more precise... otherwise I will come in my pants just from your voice and words, like a teenager – or I will need some time alone in the gents. And I don’t want to wank on a set." He muttered hoarsely.

"Slowly, agonizingly slowly, until you would have begged for mercy, begged for harder and faster thrusts. I know how much you love the passionate sex. You like to beg and to plead, just as I like to hear that from you." Ben whispered, and then nibbled with his teeth on Martin's ear.  
Martin gasped sharply, moaned hoarsely because of Benedict's words and his gentle, teasing baritone.

"Yes – God, yes."   
"Please, stop to talk about it and show it to me tonight in mine or your hotel room."  
Ben laid his hands on Martin's butt, squeezed his buttocks and broke his teeth and lips from Martin's ear.   
He looked at him.   
The eyes of his partner lit up excitedly, he breathed heavily.  
"Can't wait to be at the hotel." Benedicts voice was still rough, but soft. "Let's go inside, before someone came out and the quicker we go now, the faster we're done."  
Martin just nodded, gave Ben a hungry kiss on the lips, before he broke apart and took a few deep breathes. 

 

On the way to the conference room, Martin tried to call unerotic images into his mind. He was aroused and he needed to calm down a bit, or everyone would see his erection through his trousers.


	51. A fantasy come true

Actually, the rest of the afternoon wasn’t much different from the morning. They read the script out loud, discussed, changed, laughed, and made a break again – with coffee and some cake.   
And even though everything seemed like in the morning, it had been very different for Martin and Benedict.   
Martin had been relaxed and focused in the morning. The dispute had been done for him when he had stood up. The anticipation for the breakfast with Benedict had been huge, all unpleasant memories locked behind a door. He had thought that it was the same for Benedict, but only when they had stood outdoors in the midday sun, he noticed that Ben was still thinking about it. 

Benedict wasn’t relaxed and focused in the morning, instead he had been very quiet, because something had tortured him. And actually, Benedict had been completely unfocused; in some way he had read the script, but on the other hand he had no idea what would happen in the first episode. He had read it, but he hadn’t understood anything, because he had thought about Martin and their friendship, their trust, their chemistry and their relationship.

In the afternoon, he was absolutely focused, he was deeply into the script. The conversation with Martin had done him good, and the loving words of his partner had expelled the last bad thoughts. He was highly concentrated and relaxed.   
Martin next to him, had been completely somewhere else with his thoughts the whole afternoon; his mental cinema ran at full speed.

Hotel. Sex. Wall. Sex. Benedict. Unrestrained sex. 

Were just a few words and things he was thinking about.   
The anticipation of the hotel was immense.   
He had missed Benedict, his mere presence, his voice, his smiles, kisses, the cuddling, co-activities and the sex. The hot phone calls or hot Skype sessions and his own hand were too less to be really satisfied. Indeed to feel Benedict's lips against his skin, to feel his hands all over his body, to get fucked by him - even with his own hands, his lips and his tongue feel Benedicts naked body was a completely different thing; and much more satisfied. 

He needed to stop thinking about sex with Ben, urgently. But in his mind and in front of his eyes, he could just read sex, again and again. He had the feeling, to feel Benedict's lips and hands everywhere. 

The last page of the script was like salvation after a month full of torture. The only thing he wanted to do right now, was leaving the Pinewood Studios, driving back to the hotel and to have passionate sex with Benedict.

 

They said goodbye to the others within five minutes and then they were driving back to the hotel.   
Martin drummed with the tips of his fingers on his thigh – impatiently.   
It was a fifteen minutes drive, but Martin could have sworn they were traveled across whole Wales. 

The elevator door closed.   
Benedict pressed his own floor number and after that Martin pressed him against the elevator wall. He kissed him with hungry lips and very passionately. He pulled Benedict closer, kissed him as if his live depends on that one kiss, and only when the elevator made his ‘Bing’ sound, he broke apart.

They eyed each other breathlessly while the door opened.   
Benedict took Martins hand and pulled him out of the elevator.  
"Someone is impatient." Benedict muttered hoarsely down to Martin.  
"I’m allowed to be impatient now, I was very patient the whole fucking afternoon, several hours! Even though, that in my script were just the words... sex, sex, sex, Benedict, sex, wall, sex, getting fucked by Ben... and in the case I didn’t mention it… sex." Martin whispered.

Benedict grinned down, pulled the card out of his jacket pocket and pulled it through the scanner at the door.  
"Oh, I turned you on that much, just with my words?” Ben asked with an innocent voice, when he entered the room with Martin.  
His partner shut the door when he was slipped through, pressed Benedict against the door.  
"You would turn me on really much even if you would whisper the safety precautions of this hotel in my ear with this deep and hot voice." Martin said hoarsely.  
"Honestly, I didn't know that you’re so much turned on just by my voice." Ben murmured Martin directly into the ear, pressed him closer and rubbed his crotch against Martins, who groaned with relish.  
"I’m obsessed with your voice, even if you're talking normally. Please, Benny... just do what you have mentioned during the lunch break. Now! Immediately." Martin moaned.

The next thing he felt was Benedict’s tongue which licked his neck down, then Benedict's lips against his Adam's apple, teeth which bite him near his collarbone.   
Martin groaned loudly, then bit his lip.   
He had to pull himself together, they were not at his or at Benedict’s place, where no one could hear really loud and satisfied groans, moans, begs, pleads and purrs. 

Benedict let off of Martins neck, he turned him around and pushed him against the wall, at which Martin rested his head against his forearm.  
He closed his eyes; lips kissed their way back across his neck, let him purr deeply.  
"With the greatest pleasure." Moaned a deep and aroused voice in Martin’s ear.  
He felt Benedicts hand on his hip, the other on his belly. The hand ran with pressure over the huge bulge in his pants. He swallowed and couldn’t suppress the next loud moan when he felt Benedict's erection through his pants at his butt.   
"Fuck!" Martin groaned hoarsely.  
He was obviously not the only one, whose fantasies ran at full speed since a while.

Benedict pressed against him, rubbed his erection through the fabric of Martins pants, he groaned and kissed along Martin’s neck. His hand went to Martin's belt, opened it and shortly after that the trouser button. Ben pushed the pants down with the boxer shorts. The clothes slid down to Martin’s shoes.   
Benedict's hand cupped Martin's hard erection, the other massaged the testicles.  
"Fuck, oh fuck. Ben,... please tell me you have lube with you and ready to hand. Please." Martin groaned hoarsely as he felt Benedict's hands.   
Benedict's lips stopped the sucking at Martin’s neck. He kissed him there; his massaging hand played intense with Martins balls and the other one stroked his erection downwards – very slowly but with pressure.  
"Lucky for you, I have some lube handy… in the meantime, you could get rid of these shoes and your pants and shorts." Ben whispered in Martin's ear.

Martin just nodded.   
He took some deep breathes. The forehead still rested on his forearm. He slipped out of his shoes and socks with his feet, stepped out of his pants and boxer shorts; with his right feet he swept the garments to the door.   
His eyes were closed, he breathed heavily, tried to calm down his heart. 

The clink of Benedict's belt buckle, which hit the ground, was soaring his pulse again. Then the sound of the belt buckle which slid across the floor and hit the door.   
He heard the click of the lube bottle, and immediately his self-control was at level zero, or to be precise at level minus hundred. His free hand slid down to his erection and he took himself in hand. His hand ran slowly up and down.   
Benedict's teeth nibbled at Martins ear, the hand massaged his butt, the index finger of the right hand, ran over the puckering hole. Martin groaned, bit his lips and groaned again when he felt Benedict's finger up in his arse. 

"Please, Benny... can we skip the part 'I tease you slowly, until you beg and plead', please" He begged and whined.  
"I didn’t want to tease you." Whispered Ben in Martins ear; his lips touched Martins ear during the talking.  
The second finger slid in Martin's arse. Ben moved his fingers and Martin moaned again in pleasure; he moved his hips with Benedict’s fingers and his free hand stroked over his own erection.  
"I wouldn’t be able to torture you today, I can barely hold myself back." Benedict whispered in a low and rough voice.  
His fingers scissored Martin, opened him with intense movements - until Martin pleaded to get fucked.

Benedict turned him around. He eyed him; Martin was breathing hard, his legs were trembling and he grabbed the lube out of Benedicts left hand. He opened the bottle, squeezed a bit in his hand and closed his fist around Ben’s throbbing erection.  
Benedict closed his eyes, put his head back, groaned and let his lips slightly open, while Martin stroked him with an intense rhythm and massaged his balls. Benedict grabbed Martin's buttocks.

"Fuck… Martin, that will be a pretty quick one." Ben whispered hoarsely.  
"Hmm, I know... we will do the slow and tender sex in the bed afterwards.” Martin moaned lustfully.  
Benedict opened his eyes and looked down at Martin. His eyes were full of lust - greedy for more. Martin looked at him in the same way, his pupils dilated, fully black.   
Ben pushed him back against the wall, lifted him up. Martin wrapped his legs around Benedict’s body and his arms around Ben’s neck.  
"You mentioned right now already the second round?" Ben whispered.  
He let Martin slid down on his hard and throbbing cock, and Martin groaned loudly, with relish and pleasure.  
Benedicts movements rested.  
"I love the phone and Skype sex with you, but it can’t be compared to the real sex, with the real you and the last sex we had was three weeks ago. So I will need, at least, a second round. Now shut up and show me what you've been talking about at the lunch break." Martin purred with a rough voice.  
Benedict cupped Martin’s lips and involved him immediately in a passionate french Kiss. He moved his hips hard, fast and intense. 

The only thing that was to hear was the moaning; the loud moans of two men between passionate kisses.   
Benedict couldn’t hold back, nor with the noises, nor with his thrusts and Martin was very grateful. He enjoyed the uninhibited sex, kissed him back passionately.  
They broke the kiss again, moaned, groaned and purred loudly – lustfully.   
Martin pressed his head against the wall, closing his eyes, his mouth hung open. He loved it, and his fantasies about being fucked against a wall by Benedict, weren’t as good as it was in reality; they needed to repeat that urgently and more often.   
His fingers scratched across Benedicts back, and he groaned again.

"Ben, Jesus! Fuck! I ca... oooohhhh... " He wasn’t even able to pronounce it; suddenly he reached his climax, he couldn’t hold back his orgasm, not for one second. His ring muscle pulled contracted, and his moans and the dirty words left his throat loudly.   
Benedict felt the contraction of Martin’s ring muscle, the hot hole became even tighter and he was no longer able to hold back his own orgasm.  
"Martin!" The name left Benedicts mouth deeply and roughly.   
"Hmm Benny... keep going, keep going... please don’t stop." Martin muttered hoarsely and out of breath; he enjoyed the slower and softer thrust. "Oh, sweet Jesus, it’s great… gorgeous." He muttered in a dreamy voice, while Benedict fucked them tenderly true their orgasms.

Unfortunately, the movements stopped; Benedict slipped out of him, and let him slide down the wall.  
Martin grumbled in disappointment.  
"Sorry Martin, I couldn’t hold you any longer." He said out of breath.   
Martin sighed, clung to him, nodded slowly, stroked gently across Benedicts back, kissed his collarbone and smiled at him lovingly: his eyes still filled with excitement and lust.  
"Go to bed, honey. I'm right with you." He murmured softly.

Benedict smiled and ran his hand gently and slowly through Martin's hair. His lips breathed him a kiss on the temple, before he broke apart, went to the bed and lay down.  
Martin just picked up the lube and came to the bed, where Benedict was lying on his back. 

They smiled at each other   
Martin threw the bottle with lube on the bed next to Benedict, crawled over him, kissed his lips once, before he sat down on Bendict’s lap.   
Benedict closed his eyes, and purred long and deeply when he felt Martin's hands caressing upwards his torso. The tips of Martin’s fingers breathed across his neck, causing goosebumps.   
"I love it when you're wearing shirts - very much if I’m honest; but now there's so much work for me.” Martin muttered while he slowly opened the first closed button. "I really like this dark blue shirt with the grey jeans you were wearing today. You looked incredibly sexy." He muttered and opened the next button. Benedict purred, let the eyes closed, he devoted himself to Martin.“Actually, you're always pretty sexy and hot, even with a casual white tee and a washed out jeans." He murmured softly as he stroked Benedict the shirt from his shoulders.

Martin moved his hips forward, rubbed his butt over Ben’s cock and purred with closed eyes.  
"Your compliments turn me on." Benedict sighed enjoyable. His hands caressed across Martin's thighs. "You also didn’t need a suit to look hot and sexy... you’re hot and sexy throughout the whole day; when you wake up in the morning, with sleepy eyes, dark and thick bags, wrinkles of the pillows in your face, wild hair and absolutely unshaven.“  
Martin enjoyed the words, he opened his eyes, smiled at Benedict – his stomach tingled. 

The movements of Martin’s hips didn’t stop, he rubbed his butt over Benedicts half hard cock and stimulated him tenderly. His fingers caressed across Benedict's bare torso, slowly and lovingly downwards; and then his fingers ran his own body upwards. He placed two fingers on the first button and began to unbutton his own shirt. He had goosebumps on his legs, because of Benedict's caresses and he still rubbed gently over Benedicts erection. His mouth was slightly open, as well as Benedicts. 

Martin looked Benedict in the eyes, who watched the striptease with lust. Benedict's look let Martin's skin tingle, he stroked the shirt slowly from his shoulders, dropped it on the bed next to Bens.   
Benedict's eyes scanned Martin's naked body before he explored him tenderly with his hands.   
He ran his hands across Martin's hips to his belly, over his chest, up in his hair; slowly down to Martin's shoulders, along his spine, on his butt.   
Martin had closed his eyes; he had goosebumps all over his body, he purred and sighed, gave himself to Benedict's hands, which now gently massaged his butt.   
Benedict enjoyed Martin's hot skin, his cock was hard, and stroked and twitched with each hip movement of Martin over its puckering entrance. 

Martin's hands stroked Benedict's sides upwards to his chest and down again; the tips of the fingers, ruffled gently over Ben’s flat stomach, then back up towards the nipples. He rubbed with his thumbs across Ben’s nipples and made him moan in pleasure.  
Martin bent down slowly, supported his hands next to Ben’s head and teased Benedict’s nipples with his tongue and teeth. He kissed them once, ran his tongue over them, nibbled gently with his teeth, before he distributed small breathy kisses on them.  
"Hmmm Martin! That’s fantastic... " Ben purred and moaned satisfied. 

Ben scratched along Martins spine, ran his hand through his hair, scratched the spine downwards again, and over Martin’s butt. His finger slipped between the buttocks, circled around Martins hole. He took advantage of his own pre come, and pushed one finger gently into the tight hole.   
Martin groaned excitedly, then kissed his way to Benedict’s neck.  
"Or did you want to fuck me?" Benedict whispered hoarsely; it was half groaned because of Martins kisses.  
"No, no... I didn’t. I want you to stay like this." Martin muttered into Benedicts neck.  
He enjoyed Benedicts finger, who added the second one and opened him further, which was actually not really necessary.  
Martin's hot breath grazed across Benedicts neck, their bodies were heated; they were sweating and breathing heavily.   
Benedict's fingers disappeared, his hands stroked over every centimeter of Martins body.  
Martin took the bottle with the lube, opened it, and squeezed a bit into his hand. He looked gently at Ben, sat on his thighs, caressed tenderly over Benedict's twitching erection, and distributed the lubricant.   
Benedict closed his eyes, enjoyed it and muttered something in a loving voice.  
"It's so great to have you back, back at home, to see you, to hear you, to feel and to love you."  
Martin lifted his hips; the words were a balm for his soul, made him shiver, he let sank his hips and felt Benedict's erection sliding into his tight, hot, puckering hole.  
He sighed and respond to Ben's declaration of love with a warm loving voice.  
"I love you too, sweetheart."

 

Martin's movements were affectionate, intense, deep. One hand lay on Benedict's belly. He enjoyed Ben's caresses on his thigh, looked down at him - warmly. He rolled his eyes with pleasure, closed them again, enjoyed the feeling of Ben's cock.   
Benedict stroked Martin's thigh, the other hand lay next to his head on the mattress. He watched Martin – he was moaning with pleasure and closed eyes, his mouth was slightly open.   
Martin ran his hand across Ben’s belly, across the chest, with his fingertips through the light chest hair, to Ben’s collar bone. He opened his eyes again and looked at his partner with black and lustful eyes.  
"Benny... hmmm, this is so beautiful, so beautiful." He murmured with pleasure, before the eyelids fluttered again.   
"Oooohhh Martin, god... please don’t stop that, never stop that." Ben purred.

Martin gasped, moving his hips with that pace - slowly and gently.   
Slowly and gently, he gave Ben what he needed and took what he himself so desperately needed.   
Making love with Benedict.   
Not just fast and rough sex, such as the quickie at the wall.   
He wanted to love him.

The only light came from the outside through the windows, lit up the room just enough to see Benedict’s lustful eyes, the open mouth, the beads of sweat on Benedict's forehead, the sweat on their bodies.  
He loved Ben slowly, purred and moaned with him until the orgasm came closer and closer.  
He stroked down to his own hard cock, took himself in hand, ran his thumb over the glans and spread the pre come along his length. The other hand ran into his own hair.   
Benedict watched him; the picture of Martin, that he rode him with his nice butt, gave himself salvation, the head which was tilted back, the eyes closed, the mouth open, his moaning and that he ran his hand through his own hair – let Ben reach his climax, that picture sent him immediately over the edge.  
"Martin! Martin... hmmmm. Fuck, that’s great." He moaned while he came.

Martin heard Ben’s deep moan, felt his orgasm. He let his thumb ran again over the glans and came all over Ben’s stomach and chest. His movements didn’t stop, he rode them tenderly and very slowly through their orgasms, and he moaned Ben’s name with relish and pure pleasure.  
"Benedict, Benny, Benny."  
He ran his hand again through his own hair, before he slowly stopped his movements. He opened his eyes and the hand slid down to Benedict’s hip. He looked down to Ben, smiled, bent down and breathed Ben a gentle kiss on the lips, before he sank into the mattress next to him. 

Their chests raised and settled quickly, they gasped for air, were covered by a film of sweat.   
Martin turned his head slowly to Benedict, smiled with warm eyes to him, and kissed his cheek.  
"That was really beautiful. And that one before was fucking hot." Martin murmured softly against Ben’s cheek and breathed him a kiss on his cheekbone.  
"Just as I would describe it.” Ben smiled. "We need to repeat the wall thing and that last one – riding me, urgently." He muttered, turned his head smilingly to Martin and kissed his nose.  
"Absolutely, absolutely." Martin muttered and closed his eyes. 

They were lying comfortably side by side a while until Martin's stomach started to growl loudly, followed by Benedict's.   
They both opened their eyes, looked at each other and smirked.  
"I think that we have missed the supper in the hotel restaurant, because of this wonderful sex, but I mean to remember me that we can order at least some sandwiches. We could take a shower and then we could order some food." Martin smiled and ran his hand gently through Benedict’s hair, he played with the dark and soft curls.  
Benedict needed some time to answer, he enjoyed the play with his strands and purred, before he answered with a nod.  
"Let's do it."


	52. Secretly taken pictures

In the meanwhile, four weeks had passed since the first read-through. The first few weeks of shooting had been good, they had done a lot in the studio, in London and on locations. Martin and Benedict had held back their private live on the set, as much as possible; they had only exchanged a few kisses or caresses and lovely hugs during the breaks. On the weekends, they were driven home, had stayed one weekend at Benedict’s place and on one weekend at Martin’s place. The last weekend they had spent separately from each other, because Martin had had a few appointments. On Sunday afternoon they had met again and were driven back to Cardiff. The last two weeks of the filming the first episode would they spend in the studio, or on locations in Wales. The last shot in London was finished last week. 

It was Monday and today they were on the set of 221b Baker Street. Benedict and Martin had just shot a scene, actually they had shot that scene since quite a while. During the first takes Martin had made a few jokes and had got up to nonsense to make Benedict laugh. He had been pretty successful. Benedict had started to smirk or laugh over and over again; just when he had looked at Martin. After an amount of take Benedict had finally calmed down more or less; the only problem was, that Martin had lost his self-control at that moment; he had giggled and laughed during every take.  
Finally, the director told them that they had done it – after 21 takes.

"Cut! That was great, guys. I thought you let us rot in hell until take 221. We make a break, I need a coffee.", he grinned to Martin and Benedict and the rest of the crew.

The set emptied slowly more and more, and Martin dropped on the sofa. He leaned back, stretched out his legs and yawned. He was tired, hadn’t slept well that night, as well as Benedict. They had been awake constantly; at first Martin had cuddled in Benedict's arm, then Benedict had snuggled in Martin’s arms; after that Benedict had held him close from behind, and finally they both had lying on their backs next to each other. At some point Martin had begun to read and Benedict had turned over and fell asleep again.   
This morning, they had barely come out of bed after the ringing phone had woken them up. 

Benedict came also to the sofa, stretched out and ran his hand through his hair. He wore the blue morning robe, a grey t-shirt and a grey pajama pants - delightfully comfortable. Martin sat in dark blue jeans and a button up shirt next to him; he smiled lovingly. Ben smiled back softly. He lay down on the sofa, on his back and bedded his head into Martins lap. He stretched out a leg, the other was bent slightly; his left hand was hanging off the sofa. He yawned.   
Martin had followed Bens movements with his eyes, put a hand in Ben’s hair, the other on Benedict's chest, who grabbed Martin’s hand gently.  
"Still tired, Benny?" Martin smiled.   
Ben closed his eyes.  
"Hmm, pretty tired. I’m really happy about that break, just resting the eyes for a few minutes.".  
Martin tilted his head back and closed his eyes.  
"Yes and a coffee would be great afterwards." He murmured.

 

After a while, Amanda entered the set of 221b; she had searched the two boys; and when she entered the sitting room, she ultimately found them on the couch and wanted to turn around and leave, when Mark walked in. He was talking with Steven.   
"Shhhhh." She made and put her forefinger on her lips.  
The two men looked irritated at her; Steven with a coffee in his hand and Mark with his cup of tea, dressed as Mycroft.   
"What is this about?" Mark asked puzzled, he didn't lower his voice.  
Amanda rolled her eyes and pointed in the direction of Ben and Martin.  
"Why are you still talking that loud, when I give you a hint to shut up? Your 'brother' cuddles with my 'husband'. They’re sleeping." Amanda smiled with a low whisper.   
Steven stepped next to Amanda, looked at the two men and grinned.  
"They apply bad work habits. That’s really not a good working morale." Steven whispered and drank some sips of his coffee.

Amanda, Mark and Steven were standing in a row and watched them sleeping.  
Martin and Benedict were asleep, they were dozing peacefully.  
Mark grinned with an evil look.  
"I don't like it, when anybody took pictures of me while I’m asleep, but I need to do it; the punishment for them... for sleeping at work." Mark giggled his excuse with a low voice.   
He pulled his phone out of the pocket, started the camera and stepped a little closer.  
Amanda wanted to hold him back, but as she grabbed after his jacket she just grabbed some air.  
Steven just grinned and shook his head in amusement.  
"I get them a coffee and some food." He said and disappeared again.

Mark had made a couple of photos from various perspectives.   
Amanda stepped closer, sat down on the armrest and she saw Marks evil and satisfied grin and the thumbs up.  
"Look angry at Martin. Like he's cheating you with Sherlock." He grinned with a whisper.  
Amanda smirked, tried to look as serious and angry as possible; she had to bite herself on the lower lip, because she almost started to laugh. It was mean to use the boys as a prop, but she found it just too funny to resist. She closed her eyes briefly, then briefly looked up at Mark, who waited, that he could take his picture.   
Amanda looked to Martin - looked at him as jealous and angry as possible and Mark pulled the trigger.   
"Perfect!" He said really happy and satisfied, as if he had made a picture of his biggest idol.  
Amanda grinned widely, looked back to Martin and ran her hand gently through his hair to wake him up. 

Martin felt the hand in his hair, growled something cloudy, shortly before he slowly opened an eye and saw Amanda.  
"Hm?" He murmured, and looked with sleepy eyes into Amanda's amused face.  
"I’m just leaving you alone for a few minutes and you took advantage and cuddle and smooch with Sherlock." Amanda smirked.  
Martin opened his tired eyes, looked around, before he smiled and grinned.  
"He drugged me and it’s just an experiment.”, he giggled with Amanda and rubbed his eyes. “Sorry, we seemed to be falling asleep, we just wanted to relax a bit."  
"Yes, and I have taken a few great Johnlock pictures." A deeper voice said with pure happiness. 

Martin turned his head around.  
Mark grinned widely and waved the phone; for him that moment was the best thing that had happened on set since they had started shooting series four.   
Amanda still sat on the armrest; and Martin looked to Mark and then down to Ben, who still had his eyes closed. He ran his hand through the soft, dark and curly hair and squeezed Ben's hand on the chest gently. 

Benedict had heard them talking, but he hadn’t understood a word they had said; the lovely caress and the soft squeezing woke him up properly. He slowly opened his eyes, stretched his legs and his body and looked to Martin - then to Mark.  
"You look a bit too happy, it’s creepy. Why are you grinning like that?" Ben asked suspiciously, and with a sleepy voice.  
"Your kinky brother has taken pictures of us." Martin grinned.  
"They are great! May I upload them on Twitter? The fans would love to see a few setlock pictures." Mark argued.  
"At first I want to see the pictures you have taken, while we were asleep, you git!" Ben said and didn’t move from Martin’s thighs.

Mark grinned and handed his mobile phone down to Benedict, who thumbed through the photos, Martin watched too.  
"That's not taking a few pictures, that was a photo shoot." Martin grinned and Amanda chuckled.  
"I tried to stop him!"  
Benedict stretched his head back; he hadn’t seen Amanda.  
"Oh the wife is here too. I hadn’t seen you. Just leave us alone, John is mine. Marriage is cancelled." He grinned now.   
Amanda laughed, sent him a kiss and ruffled through his hair.

Martin snorted and pointed at the mobile phone.  
"That, sweetie, didn’t look like you tried to hold that mad person back from taking pictures of us. It looked like you had a lot of fun with him and using us as props." He panted smirking as he had scrolled through the pictures.  
Amanda looked at him and started to laugh; she rubbed gently across his upper arm.  
"It was too late at that point, and it was an order, honey." She gave him a soft peck on the cheek.   
"Sucking up again, are we, sweetheart?” Martin smiled broadly after her kiss.  
"I don’t have to, I know you like it and find it as funny as Mark and I. We’re friends for nearly sixteen years, I know you aren’t mad with me, Marty." She smiled and pinched his cheek gently.  
Martin smiled at her even more.

Benedict handed the phone back; he grinned because of the pictures and Martin and Amanda.  
Mark looked questioningly.  
"It’s fine, you can tweet them." Benedict said.  
Martin nodded and added something else.  
"But please, Mark, when you tweet them, make sure that they all know, that the pictures were taken during a break. We don’t need more hysteria about Johnlock.” Martin smiled. "Make sure they know it’s Benny and me and not Sherlock and John. I don’t want to have heart broken fans next year."  
"Of course you're John." Mark grinned but nodded.  
Ben and Amanda grinned as well as Martin, who rolled his eyes.  
"Yeah... it’s my second name, I know. You know what I mean. You have our permission, as long as everyone will know that these are private pictures of us." He chuckled.

Mark grinned and nodded. He opened Twitter and loaded up two pictures; a picture of Martin and Ben sleeping and a picture with Amanda and the boys; he tweeted them with a little text: 'The work ethic of Ben and Martin leaves a little to be desired - hardly you give them a break, they fall asleep.'.

In the meantime Steven had come back and reached Benedict and Martin a coffee and a sandwich.  
The two men thanked him, drank a sip of their cups and stretched their body’s in a sitting position.   
The set was filling up again; and the break was a bit longer, so that Ben and Martin were able to drank their coffee and eat their sandwiches in peace. Amanda, Mark and Steven stayed with them until they started again.   
The makeup artist was already waiting for them.   
Martin smiled at Benedict, leaned forwards, breathed him a soft kiss on the lips, before he rubbed across Ben’s thigh and stood up. 

 

They had filmed until the late evening, had driven back to the hotel and entered Martins hotel room together.


	53. The hotel room

Martin slipped out of his shoes, placed the bag on the floor and stretched; he turned his head, was circling his shoulders and sighed.   
"Can we order some food, Ben? I’m not in the mood for a restaurant, if I’m honest. I’m too tired and I would rather eat here and get cozy.”  
"Good that you say that, I would also like to just take a shower, get cozy and have some food." Benedict yawned, while he took off the shoes.   
Martin nodded, went to the table, which stood in the room and took the card from the room service; his look flew over it. They had used the room service often during the whole seasons. The food was delicious and one didn’t need to wait long for it.

"We can call them and order, before we take a shower." Martin said, while he was reading the card.  
He felt Benedict's soft lips on his neck, closed his eyes, sighed from the kiss, and snuggled closer as Benedict's arms hugged him gently. After the kiss Benedict rested his chin on Martin's shoulder and studied the card again.  
"I would take that with the salmon... and just an ordinary salad.” He smiled and scratched with his fingers lovingly across Martin's belly. "I’m going to the bathroom... waiting for you, love." He pressed a soft kiss on Martin’s cheek.  
After that he broke apart and Martin turned his head back with a gentle smile.  
"Hmm, I’m with you in a minute, honey." He winked gently. 

Benedict left the room and went to the bathroom. At first he used the toilet, afterwards he undressed himself. Martin ordered two salads, two glasses of red wine and water, as well as the menu with the salmon for Benedict and for himself a pasta. When he came into the bathroom, Benedict had already switched on the shower. Just as Martin entered the room, he stepped under the hot water. Martin smiled, pulled off his jumper, the t-shirt, pants, shorts and socks, and stepped also into the shower.

"It’s mad, isn’t it, how many people have responded to the sleeping pictures?" Martin asked.  
"Especially in a really short time, as Mark had taken a look during the next break." Ben smiled.  
"Even Amanda had commented it." Martin laughed.  
"She’s playing with her mobile phone all the time and they say that we’ve bad work morals." Ben laughed.

Martin grinned, closed his eyes and enjoyed the warm water. He circled his shoulders again, as well as his head.  
"Do you have back pain, Martin?"  
"Not directly, my shoulders just hurt. At least, I realize my shoulders the most", Martin murmured with closed eyes.   
Benedict looked to him, raised his hands, put them gently on Martin's shoulders and began to massage them softly.   
Martin's shoulders were tense, the muscles were hard. The tension reached from the shoulders to his neck.  
Martin groaned with relief, when he felt Benedict's kneading hands on his shoulders. He lowered his shoulders, leaned his head against Benedict's collarbone, his arms around his waist.   
The water drooled down on his neck and the water drops ran down his shoulders. 

"Jesus, your muscles are tense." Benedict stated while he ran his thumbs with pressure up to Martin's neck.  
Martin groaned again, enjoyed the pressure of Benedict's thumb, and sighed as the hands ran down to his shoulders and across his shoulder blades.   
"Hmmmm, your massages are fantastic. I love it. If you ever feel to leave the acting world, you should open a massage studio. First of all, you're incredibly talented.” Martin said softly. “Hmm, god Ben that’s doing incredibly well!” He groaned and moaned again. “And, all the women would run into your studio. You wouldn’t even need advertisement. A massage from Benedict Cumberbatch, who wouldn’t want that? " He smiled gently at the end.

He could literally feel Benedict’s grin.   
His hands kneading across Martin's shoulders, the thumb caressed with pressure on his neck and along his shoulder blades. Martin felt more and more relaxed.  
"Will you come to my studio?"  
"Hmm, regular customer. I would buy myself an annual pass for your studio. Would I get a bonus?" He smirked.  
"What do you want to have as a bonus?" Ben grinned gently, while he massaged Martin.   
He could feel the relaxed muscles and kept going. He loved Martin’s purring and sighing.  
"Wonderful, that's fantastic, Benny." Martin purred with relish before he replied to Benedict’s question. "Speeches, so I can hear your voice, hugs, kisses, caresses, cuddles, erotic massages, sex in any form and manner.", Martin smiled.  
"Then I would suggest that you are the only one who will benefit from the massages, because if I give you your bonus, then I have no more time left for the other customers." Ben grinned and pressed him a kiss on the head.  
"I totally agree." Martin smiled and looked up to him.

His hands ran gently across Benedict's back, upwards to the shoulders and in his hair; he beamed up, kissed his Adam's Apple and murmured gently against it.  
"Thanks Benny for the massage, it did really well."  
"You’re welcome, sweetheart." He purred when Martin kissed him gently. "But I think we should go on with the shower session now, otherwise the food is here and we are still in the shower."  
Martin dissipated slightly and nodded, put his hands out of Benedict's hair and took the shower gel.

They showered, got out of the shower, dried off and put on more comfortable clothes.   
When there was a knock at the door, Martin opened with a black shirt and a boxer shorts. The woman smiled at him, welcomed him, pushed the cart in and put everything on the table for the two men, before she smiled again and wished them a good appetite.   
Martin sat down again, reached out his feet and felt Benedict's foot, which was stroking along his shinbone.   
They smiled at each other and raised their wine glasses, and clinked them.  
"Enjoy your meal, darling"  
"You too, Martin."  
They sipped the wine and began with their food.

 

Martin was busy with his salad and the pasta as well as Benedict with his salmon an the salad. The mood was very relaxed; Martin felt better, enjoyed to eat it comfortably with Benedict, to cuddle afterwards in the bed and to fall asleep next to him.   
"Love? Have you actually planned something for your birthday? I mean, you're turning forty. Do you want to celebrate a big party or what do you have in mind, honey?" Martin asked during the meal.  
"I haven’t really thought about it, yet. I would like to celebrate, but actually not directly on my birthday. It’s in the middle of the week. I think the most will be busy with working."  
"Could you imagine to celebrate your birthday with friends and family in August? Beginning of August?"  
"Why do you ask, Martin?" Benedict smiled gently; and poking some salad.

"Well, we're done with Sherlock in mid-July and by happy coincidence, we have both free time afterwards. I was wondering whether we share it and going on vacation together. I mean a real vacation, flying away or something, not just a weekend trip. A two weeks vacation."  
Martin looked gently to Benedict, who smiled at him and put his fork away.  
"This means that you would like to spend my birthday with me on a holiday? Almost immediately after Sherlock?" Ben smiled.  
"That was just an idea. Finally, it is your birthday and I want that you spend your birthday like you want to spend it. If you rather want to celebrate, then we can go on holiday in another time of the year. As I said, it was just an idea." Martin smiled, and put his cutlery on the empty plate.

Ben leaned back in his chair, beamed to Martin, who once again took his wine.  
"The decision of how I want to spend my birthday is easy. With you; with you on a vacation. I'm forty for a whole year, there is enough time to celebrate. The idea with the holiday is great, and I couldn’t imagine anything better for my 40th, than to spend it with you on a vacation."  
Martin beamed to Benedict, he smiled widely.   
"That's great. I had thought about it when we were in Herne Bay. The day was lovely and the holiday will be fantastic with you."  
"Oh yeah, Herne Bay was great. We can think about a holiday location in the next few days and search some nice hotel or house or whatever." Ben smiled.  
Martin nodded, had drunk some sips of his wine.  
"It’s your birthday, love. You decide the holiday location. It doesn’t matter to me, where we go, as long as you’re there and you’re happy. Just tell me, where you want to go. I’m fine with everything.” He smiled charmingly.  
"I would love to decide with you, honey. There just three things I want to have for the holidays; sunshine, silence and you.”


	54. A dinner with Una

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy it.  
> Have fun. :-)  
> M.

The last two weeks of the shoot for the first episode had passed by very quickly. They had filmed much and last weekend Bend and Martin had been in London – at Benedict’s place. They had wanted to meet Benedict’s parents for dinner - finally. So far, they hadn’t seen each other, because of appointments of Benedict’s parents, by Martin’s and Benedict’s appointments, and that Martin had been in Puerto Rico for a long time.   
It was a shame that it still hasn’t worked out. They were together for five months, and since then they hadn’t found a day to go out to dinner with Benedict’s parents.   
They had been appointed at May the 1st, but it hadn’t worked out, because Benedict’s father had been lying in bed with fever.  
Martin and Benedict had spent the day on their own, with a nice dinner at the end of the day.   
They would meet Benedict’s parents in a few weeks.

In the last two weeks they had booked their vacation as well. They would go to Italy for two weeks; from mid-July to the beginning of August. Ben and Martin had booked a holiday home, with sea view in Positano at the Amalfi coast. 

It was Friday evening, the second weekend in May; on Monday they would start with the read-through for the second episode.   
Martin and Ben wanted to stay in Cardiff this weekend. Amanda, Una and Mark wouldn’t drive home as well, and so they had agreed to spend the Saturday on a trip – all together.   
During the day, Benedict had invited Una to dinner. Martin would go for a drink with Amanda.

 

Benedict had showered after the shooting, dressed up and was now sitting with Una in a Chinese restaurant. The restaurant was booked out, with a bit of luck, they had got the last table.   
The waiter had already prophesied that the food might take a while. Whether Una nor Benedict care about that fact, they were both hungry and the food here was very good. 

Una had been very pleased about Benedict's invitation, the two knew each other for almost thirtysix years now, had met each other through Benedict's mother. They were very close with each other, she was almost like a second mother to him, he knew her almost his whole life.   
When Sherlock began several years ago, he had quite loved the fact that Una would be a part of it.   
Then, his parents were a part of it.   
And thanks to BBC Sherlock, he had met the man who was now at his side. Martin. 

Martin, whom he previously didn't even knew – personally. He had never met him before, not on a film set, not on a premiere or a similar event. And as they had met for the first time, within one second the big chemistry was there. From day one until now, they had an incredible chemistry, a close friendship that had never changed in its depth.   
It just had matched from the beginning as if they had searched and found each other.   
Sometimes it felt like he knew Martin much longer, and that they just had lost each other for a couple of years, then met again and continued with their deep friendship.   
And now, Martin was a part of him, as well as Una and his parents, an incredibly important person in his life. And they all worked together for Sherlock.

"I am very happy that we’re out for dinner, Benedict" Una smiled at him.  
"I’m looking forward to the evening as well, Una. It’s quite a long ago that we have seen each other privately."  
"You're right, my boy. It's way too long. Great that we can spend this evening together." She smiled and nodded. "What is Martin doing tonight? Did he have a stay in?"  
"No, Martin is out for a drink with Amanda. They wanted to go with Mark, but he didn’t want to go with them."  
"Oh. Maybe he would like to go to bed early. He looked pretty tired and exhausted the whole day." Una smiled.

Benedict nodded and smiled, he wanted to say something, when the waiter brought the drinks. Una got the white wine and Benedict the red wine. They thanked the waiter, clinked the glasses and sipped from their wines.  
"What I wanted to say; I think you're right. And I guess, the two will have a lot of fun even without Mark." Ben smirked.  
"I agree with you. The two will have fun without him.” Una grinned. “How was dinner with your parents and Martin last weekend? You haven’t talked about it the whole week." She smiled gently across the table.  
"Yes, well, the dinner. I thought you would have phoned with mum. Dad was sick, fever. They have cancelled the dinner. That's why I couldn't tell you anything about the dinner. We will meet in two weeks again."  
"No, sweetheart. We haven’t talked with each other the last week. A shame that it didn't work out. What have you done instead?"

Benedict swirled the glass of wine in his hand, smiled across the table and nodded.  
"Yes, it was a pity. With Martin's parents, it was so easy and then we all had suddenly so many appointments and Martin was in Puerto." He smiled gently and continued. "In the afternoon we were on a May-Day party and in the evening we went out for dinner in London. We need to go there together. It’s a new Italian restaurant, which opened last year. Martin and I were there when we had celebrated our Christmas day. Very tasty and a great atmosphere."  
His eyes glowed warm.  
"That sounds like you two had a good night anyway. It’s almost half a year now for you guys." Una smiled.  
"Yeah, crazy how fast the time has passed in the last months. A year ago we had started to flirt via texts and calls. But I thought it would just be joking around, from his side. And, well, he was thinking the same thing. In fact we both had meant it truthfully. That's almost worthwhile a screenplay." He grinned and shook his head in disbelief.

Una grinned as well, nodded and drank a sip out of her glass.   
The waiter brought them the appetizers, which they had ordered. He put the plate in the middle of the table, smiled at the two, said that they should enjoy the food and that the other food would take a few minutes.   
Benedict didn’t care about the waiting; he rather waits for the food and it was tasty, than that he doesn’t have to wait and it wasn’t tasty.   
They took both one of the small spring rolls, which were on the plate and ate them.

"It’s very lovely, I mean you and Martin together as a couple. I'm glad that you have found someone and that it is Martin. He is a great man and I have to say, I couldn’t imagine a better person at your side. Even though I never had thought about it before. I guess, no one had noticed the flirting, because there was always that great chemistry and harmony. I think, that’s why no one saw that there is so much more between you and Martin; and you and Martin hadn’t noticed it as well." She smiled gently.  
"Martin is awesome, that's true. As a colleague, as a friend and as a partner." Benedict beamed with glowing eyes.

Una chuckled.   
She patted his hand, which was lying on the table.  
"It's so great to see you happy, Ben. I’m honest with you, it was a bit strange the first few days, when you have told me, that you are in a relationship with Martin. It was unfamiliar, but I really like it now. You never seemed very happy in your other relationships, it was a different thing, a different Ben. Stiff, not cozy and comfortable, sometimes it... well, it seemed not to be real, like pretending. As if the only reason for the relationship would be, not to be alone. It didn't fit with these girls. But in a way you seemed to have liked it and loved those ladies and that's why I haven’t said anything. I just wanted you to be happy and it doesn't matter, if I think that you fit with someone or not. It’s your decision. You must be happy.” She smiled gently. “It's different now with Martin. When I see you with Martin on the set, during the breaks, after a long day or pictures from the premiere and the Bafta’s – you look different. You make each other laugh. And you, Ben, you look more relaxed, cozy, happy and comfortable – just naturally with Martin."

"Honestly? Have you seen it like that? Wow. It never occurred to me like that at the time I was in a relationship with one of them; but now with Martin I can say that it is much better and lovelier than in any other relationship that I have had before him. I mean, I've also noticed that I never had arrived with any of these girls, but actually it worked in a way and I was happy, as long as it was great." He tilted his head.  
"Yes, it’s just my opinion. The relationship with Martin is completely different. You’re acting different in that relationship and you have changed. Positively. It’s not that he has changed you; you gave each other something. You know what I mean. You’ve learned from him, he has learned from you." She smiled, then tilted her head. "And? Have you arrived with Martin?" She asked.  
Una looked at him with a smile, took some food and ate while Benedict was talking.

"Arrived with this rude, little fellow?" He smiled softly and nodded with a big beaming smile. "Yes! Now that I have that relationship with Martin, I can say without doubt that I've felt never this good and happy in a relationship. I am really happy. He is my home." He said softly.  
Una beamed at Benedict and nodded.  
"I'm very happy for you Ben, I'm happy, when you are happy, and it's nice to know you in Martin's hands. It’s great to know that you’ve arrived, that Martin is home. Please never get confused or doubt your love for Martin, because of other peoples ignorance. There are a lot of homophobic people out there, but as long as you are happy, everything is fine. Nothing else matters. Just the two of you." She patted his hand gently.   
"I think I'm in good hands with Martin, if something or someone suddenly makes me insecure about the whole thing. And thank you, Una." He smiled gently, took her hand and squeezed Una’s hand gently.   
Una smiled at him.  
"It’s great to see you tomorrow in private. I’m really looking forward to the trip with you, Martin, Amanda and Mark."

 

The two talked about the current season, were looking forward to Monday, to the next read-through. Their conversation rambled at some point out in their private lives. At the same time, they had emptied the appetizer plate and get their real food.   
The evening was very enjoyable, filled with old stories, which made them laugh, especially the stories of Benedict's childhood. They drank their wine, ate their dinner and Benedict spooned the rest of Una’s dessert.

Una laughed gently, they were still talking about the embarrassing and funny stories from Benedict's childhood.  
"I still know the wallet story. When you wanted to go on holiday and your father's wallet was gone. You were only six years old." She smiled and was grinning at Benedict.  
"Five! Mum and you have told that story so many times now, and so far, I was always five."  
They both grinned, before Benedict put a spoon full of dessert in his mouth.

"Good, then five, if you want to be accurate. It was a day before your summer vacation, I was at your place for cake and coffee and Timothy had searched his wallet. It was gone and the absolute panic broke out in the house of family Cumberbatch, because a year ago, Tim had lost his wallet for real. We have searched everywhere, but we couldn’t find the wallet, and it was the day before the holiday. Your father said all the time, that your mother should ask you, if you maybe know where it is. And she said again and again that you wouldn’t know it and that’s why she wouldn’t ask you. After a dispute about the lost wallet a year ago, when they had to apply for a new ID and all the other stuff and that you actually wanted to go away tomorrow; your mother found your lunch box from the kindergarten under the bench in the dining room. She was confused because it was heavy and then she opened the box. The wallet of your father." Una laughed.

Benedict had grinned broadly all the time and pointed with the spoon at her.  
"There you can see how smart I was. I wanted to make sure that the wallet won’t get lost or stolen. I hid the wallet completely safe in my lunch box under the bench in the dining room. I could have told you where the wallet is, but no one asked me. That was a precautionary measure because I was a very, very nice and attentive child." He grinned broadly.  
"It was really great. By the way, this story is always very amusing. I have to tell it Martin; I think he will find the story very amusing. Have you two talked about childhood?" She grinned.

Ben laughed and shook his head.  
"No, not yet, I know not one embarrassing story of Martin's childhood and I just saw the childhood photos, which are also available online.” Benedict said with a grin. He shrugged his shoulders. "I’m sure he was quite naughty. I mean, look at him now, at some point it must have started. You need some time and training to become that naughty and rude." He grinned.  
He put the spoon aside, sat back comfortably and enjoyed to laugh with Una. 

 

They stayed and chatted awhile, before Benedict paid and they strolled back to the hotel.   
They took the elevator wished each other a good night and made their ways to their own hotel rooms.

It was shortly after 11pm.   
Benedict undressed, slipped into more comfortable clothes, lay down on the bed and turned on the Television. He pulled his mobile phone across the bed and sent a message to Martin.

_"Honey, I’m back at the hotel. At the reception is the second card for my room, if you want to sleep next to me and I’m already asleep. Have a great time with Amanda. I love you."_


	55. A night in a pub with Amanda

Martin had dressed up for the night, when Ben had left the hotel with Una. Amanda and Martin wanted to go to a pub for a drink a little chat and maybe a snack.   
They had ordered food to their rooms, had eaten and had relaxed a bit on their own, before they had gotten up again and had met in the hotel lobby.  
A cab had brought them into the city.

They strolled slowly through the streets, to a pub, which they had visited a few times before, when they had been in Cardiff. 

Amanda and Martin sat on a cozy, comfortable leather couch, a table stood in front of them. They both had ordered a beer.   
"Where exactly have you booked your vacation?" Amanda smiled to Martin.  
"Italy. We had thought about Greece, but in the end, we both wanted to go to Italy. Positano, it’s on the Amalfi coast." He smiled warmly.  
"Well, that’s sounds good. You will have really good weather. Have you booked a hotel or something else?"  
“Yeah, you betcha. Um, no, not a hotel. It’s a house, not directly in Positano. We didn’t want a hotel. We are so often in a hotel and wanted to have some time just for us. In a hotel there’s so much going on, a lot of people. I mean a hotel is nice, but for privacy it’s not the best choice. The house is not far away from the town and the beach. The pictures on the internet were great, directly at the sea, a large terrace, pool, a little green space."  
"It's sounds beautiful, you must write a card and send some pictures. And you need to take a picture of Ben before he turned forty, so that you can remind yourself later, how young and sexy your man once looked." Amanda grinned and Martin laughed.  
"Yes, I’ll take a picture. I’m happy when he’s forty, then I won’t feel old anymore.” Martin chuckled.

Amanda grinned at him, drank some of her beer and leaned back. She turned around to Martin and smiled.  
"Have you already planned something for his birthday?”  
"No, we haven’t planned anything. I’ll think about something nice. Finally, it’s Ben’s birthday and I want that he can spend the day in a way he would like to spend it. I think I will find something nice.“  
"I think he will enjoy his day, as long as you are at his side. There are certainly enough excursion destinations nearby or you just spend the day for you. Ben and you, you guys have very often a lot of appointments, I think some completely private time, just the two of you, would be also very nice."  
"Yes, you're right. And it was one of the wishes from Beendict, to have a quiet time." He smiled.  
"And the other wishes?" She smiled and raised a brow questioningly.  
"Warm and I should be there."

Amanda smiled at him.  
"Then you fulfill all three wishes. It’s a house just for you two, it’s in Italy and you are there. When are you flying?"  
"The 17th July and back on the 31th. We had thought about flying on Saturday, but Friday is the last day of shooting – and that would be a bit stressful. I mean, it’s okay for the professional sector of my life, but not for my private life."  
'Yes, I know what you mean. Sunday is good, you can drive home without stress and start your holiday in peace. And two whole weeks sounds great. I’m looking forward to your vacation photos." She smiled and smirked at the end.  
"We only send you the harmless pictures." He grinned broadly and lifted his beer again.

 

The waiter stopped at their table during their conversation and took their orders, two drinks and a snack, which they wanted to share.   
Amanda looked at him again, grinned and put her hand on his shoulder.  
"Back to our birthday thoughts. You can order him a Poledancerin. That’s what people do on a big birthday."  
Martin laughed and looked amused.  
"I didn't get something like that for my 40th!"  
"Then you've obviously celebrated with the wrong people." She grinned at him with a naughty smile.  
"I was still in New Zealand, with that bloke Peter, who gave me commandos all the time. I celebrated my birthday as Bilbo, with Gollum, Dwarves and a strange old wizard.” He said with an acted confused voice. And as Amanda broke out into laughter, Martin laughed too. "I know a lot about Bilbo, but nothing about his sex life, I don’t know whether he would have been happy about a Poledancerin or not." He grinned and Amanda shrugged laughing.  
"But maybe Benedict would be delighted."  
"Possible, but I won’t change his taste again, into long hair and a fit body with boobs. And then he looks beside him and sees his grey-haired boyfriend, with his beard and his belly." He grinned.

Amanda grinned widely and punched his shoulder softly.  
"Could you imagine to be with a woman again?" She asked interested.  
Martin looked at her and thought about it.  
The waiter brought the food and the new drinks. They clinked their glasses.  
"That’s a tough question. I haven’t thought about it since I admitted to myself that I’m in love with Ben, to be honest, since I knew I have a crush on him. I mean, I love Benny and I am very happy with him. I don’t think about scenarios what I would like to have after the relationship with Ben.” He scratched the back of his head, cleared his throat, and then looked at Amanda. "Well, to be honest,... I like this kind of sex much more, I enjoy it too much. A woman couldn’t give me that, anatomically.”

"Oi, well, great! Now I know your positions." She grinned happily.  
Martin grinned, waved with the food, which he has in his hand, in front of Amandas face.  
"No, no. It is not always like that." He grinned.  
"So you switch positions. Tell me more." She chuckled interested.  
"I just spoke from my preferred position."  
"Really? I would have thought that the preferences are the other way round."  
"Honestly? You thought about Ben and my sex preferences? And which one of us in the top and the bottom during sex?" He asked incredulously and grinned.  
"Why are you surprised by that, honey? Don’t look at me like that!" She laughed. "Come on. Martin. My God, we both already had sex. Thinking about it, is completely harmless." She grinned.

Martin managed to swallow the food down, before he started to laugh very hard.   
It was true.   
After a long night in a bar, he had led her home, he had come in, because they were engrossed in the middle of a conversation. They had made themselves comfortable on the couch, until their conversation led to the topics, whether there can be close friendships between men and women even without sex and whether they ever would have thought about it in relation to the other. They had talked about it, discussed it, made jokes and all of a sudden they had shared a couple of kisses. At first it were just sweet, little pecks on the mouth, softly and gently, with no hurry. He had kissed Amanda so many times in his career, as well as other women, it was not a big deal.   
While they had kissed, the kisses had become more passionate and which each passing second it got more needy and hungry. On the way to Amandas bedroom they had lost all their clothes. They both had been already a long time without a partner, hadn’t had sex a long time, which was probably the main reason, why they hadn’t pulled the emergency break.

Amanda looked at the smiling face of Martin, she laughed with him, and heard him say something with his laughing, deep, nasal voice.  
"That was years ago. Jesus, that was... 2003. I still can remember it very well. Especially as you lay beside me afterwards - you looked at me and we both burst into laughter."  
Amanda laughed and nodded.  
"Still unbelievable, that we have done that, isn’t it? I mean, I don't regret it and the sex with you was great. But the feeling afterwards was strange somehow. Difficult to express that, isn’t it? It felt in a way wrong, even if the sex was really good."  
"I know what you mean. It’s hard to express the feeling. I think we were just too close. I would prefer to call you as a part of my family. Now and then. At the moment, it was great and I enjoyed it too, and I also absolutely don't regret the sex with you. Just the feeling afterwards was... well,... bizarre. Not to describe. We agree with - we had really great sex, we didn’t regret the sex, but we will never do it again." He grinned broadly.

"Yes, that's a good deal." She grinned. "I also think that we were too close for a step into a deeper relationship, whether it would have been an affair or partnership. As you say, that was more of a family and soul mate thing, or it is! " She smiled gently.  
"Yes, and it happened too fast, the sort of relationship we have. If we would have liked the thought about a partnership, we would have needed to go that way much earlier. I guess we both had been a bit too horny at that time, I think otherwise one of us would have stopped that." Martin smiled again.  
Amanda nodded and smiled. She leaned forward and pressed him a soft kiss on the cheek.  
"Nevertheless, you are a very great and handsome man." She winked.  
"You're also a beautiful and amazing woman." He winked and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek.

Soulmates - that was the best description of their relationship. And that has never changed, not even after their one night stand many years ago. 

 

They went back to their previous conversation, drank their beers and ate their snack.   
The pub was filled with a lot of people, the mood was boisterous, in the background you could barely understand the music through the volume of the many conversations and the loud voices.   
Martin had been in this pub a few times with Amanda, also with Benedict and they had spent a few evenings with their colleagues in this pub, as well as with the whole Sherlock crew.   
The atmosphere was just great.

Martin felt his vibrating mobile phone in his pocket. He pulled it out, opened the app and Benedict's message, he beamed to himself as he read the message.   
Amanda looked over her glass to Martin.  
"Who disturbs us?" She asked smiling.  
"Benny." He smiled back.  
Amanda leaned more to Martin, stretched her head so that she could read the message as well.

_"Honey, I’m back at the hotel. At the reception is the second card for my room, if you want to sleep next to me and I’m already asleep. Have a great time with Amanda. I love you."_ – Benedict

"Oh, that is so sweet... honey" She smiled with a cute facial expression.

Martin smiled because of her comment and typed a message for Ben, while Amanda still leaned in and read the messages.

_"Thank you, sweetheart. Hope your food was great. You can tell me about it later, when I’m back with Amanda – or tomorrow when you’re too tired. See you later. I love you."_ \- Martin

Amanda smiled happily, while Martin was waiting for a reply, which arrived shortly after Martin's text.

_"Food was excellent. Details later. I’m waiting for you in that big bed..."_ \- Ben

_"…fully dressed ;-) – I’m just watching telly. So don't raise your hopes. Enjoy the evening and say hello to Amanda. See you later, handsome."_ -Ben

Amanda grinned, as well Martin, who wrote back again.

_"Amanda reads with me ;-). So greetings back. Looking forward to see you later, even if you're dressed :-)."_ \- Martin

_"Oooops... "_ \- Ben

Martin and Amanda laughed.  
He put his mobile phone back into his pocket.  
"Have you done this before? Sexting?" She grinned.  
"Sexting?... Erotic texts? No." He chuckled with a raised eyebrow. Amanda wiggled her eyebrows and looked questioningly. "I know exactly what you want to know. And yes. Phone sex and Skype sex, yes. Can we now continue our lovely conversation." He grinned.

 

The night lasted long. They had ordered drinks again. Martin remained at beer, Amanda had switched to Cocktails. They had talked about Amanda, about some shared memories and about the day at work today.  
At 3 o’clock they made their way back to the hotel.   
In a few hours they would have a date with Benedict, Mark and Una for a nice breakfast. More precisely, at 9 o’clock and they both didn’t want to start the day completely exhausted.   
Martin brought Amanda to her room, she said goodbye and good night with a hug and a kiss.

Martin went up to Benedict’s room, with Amanda he had picked up the card as they had arrived.  
He drew the card through the slot.


	56. A night and a morning

Martin pushed the door open, the television was still running and spent some light; he heard a male voice, who was reading out the news. Martin brushed off the shoes, slipped out of the light jacket, which he was wearing. He walked into the room, in the direction of the bed.  
"Hey Benny, I'm ba... " Martin said fairly loudly and happily.   
He closed his lips abruptly when the bed appeared in his vision, his eyes got big, he grimaced surprised, slightly panicked.   
Martin stood in the middle of the room – quietly. No sound came from him, he had even stopped breathing.  
He looked at the figure on the bed.

Ben was lying on his side, facing Martin; his facial expression was completely relaxed; he was smiling slightly. The head was lying on the pillows, the hair was tousled - a mess. The cover was just hiding his legs and hips, but released his naked torso. One of his legs was also not lying under the cover.   
He had fallen asleep while watching television.

Martin took a step, hopefully he hadn’t woken him up with his shouting. He tilted his head, waited for a reaction, but Ben’s chest rose and fell still slowly and calmly, the eyes remained closed.   
Martin smiled, walked into the room, turned on the bedside lamp and turned off the television. He turned around to face Benedict, came to him again; Martin took the blanket and covered him gently with it again and properly. There was no response from Benedict, except a deep inhalation, when he was covered again; and then he snored softly. 

Martin smiled lovingly and went quietly into the bathroom.   
He closed the door, used the toilet and brushed his teeth, undressed until he stood just in his boxer shorts in the bathroom. He took the T-shirt from Benedict and slipped into it.   
He came back to the bedroom. 

Martin went to Benedict’s side of the bed again.   
He pushed the menu button of Ben's iPhone, which was lying on the bedside table.  
The time appeared - 3:44 am - Damn at 8:15 am, they wanted to get up.  
The date - Saturday, May, the 7th - today in exactly two weeks time, they would go out to dinner with Benedicts parents. He looked forward to it, he really liked Benedicts parents.  
The image in the background - a Selfie of Ben and him. The image was quite actual, had been taken just two weeks ago in Martin's garden, on the terrace. They both smiled into the camera; Benedict sat on a chair, Martin was standing behind him, he bent down to Ben and snuggled his cheek against Benedict’s. An arm hanging loosely across Ben’s shoulder, the other was wrapped around his neck, holding him gently.   
Martin smiled and his eyes sparkled as he saw the picture.  
'Slide to unlock' - lit up.   
But he didn't want to. He had just wanted to see whether Benedict had or hadn’t already set up the alarm on his mobile phone.   
A look in the upper corner told him that he had done it. The alarm clock was set.

Martin started moving again, he walked around the bed and slipped into the bed as carefully as possible. He didn’t want to wake Benedict.   
The first hurdle was done, he was lying in the bed, at his side and under the blanket.   
Now the second step: Saying good night. That means, bending over Benedict, kissing him good night on the forehead or the hair and murmuring that he loves him and that he should sleep well.

So he leaned on his forearm, bent down to Benedict, breathed a soft and tender kiss on Ben’s forehead - it was almost just a brush of his lips. Then he whispered lovingly against Benedict's temple.  
"Sleep well sweetheart. I love you!"  
Mission 2 wasn’t successful.   
The quiet snoring had stopped, there was a movement in the man; who had slept quite peacefully.   
Damn, how had he been able to sleep with this loud television and then he woke up from a light kiss and a whisper, Martin thought.   
"Martin?" Ben muttered in a sleepy, deep voice.   
Ben opened an eye, he looked tired at his partner. The lamp behind Martin was switched on.  
"Hmm, sorry Benny. Sorry... " Martin muttered softly and lovingly. He ran his hand through Ben’s strands. "I didn’t want to wake you up. I'm sorry. I’m back, just close your eyes and go back to sleep, love." He whispered with a warm voice, looked at him apologetically.

Ben opened his second eye, he looked down to his blanket and then again to Martin.  
"Whyaren’tyouundermy... blanket." Ben said sleepily.  
Martin smiled, freed himself from the second blanket, pushed it out of the bed with his feet, turned off the bedside light and crawled under the blanket to Benedict.  
"As I said, I didn’t mean to wake you up. Come here, sweetheart." He said lovingly and wrapped his arms around Ben, pulled him gently to his chest, pressed him a kiss on the hair and murmured into it. "Go back to sleep, darling, I'm here."

Benedict snuggled closer, wrapped his arms and legs around Martin, and closed his eyes again.  
He didn’t manage to say anything, at the moment Martin had pressed him against his chest, had kissed him and said that he should go back to sleep, he had fallen asleep again.   
Martin didn’t need much longer to fall asleep. For a few minutes he enjoyed Benedict’s body, the warmth, the naked skin, he felt.   
His eyelids fluttered close and Benedict's snoring became a sound that was far far away.

 

A few hours later, the phone played its wake-up song.   
Martin moaned, pressed his nose in Benedict's hair, and took a deep breath of his scent.   
Benedict pressed the face even more at Martins chest, kissed him tiredly through the fabric of the T-Shirt. He let his hands wander under the T-Shirt and stroked with the fingertips across the warm, bare skin.  
"Morning Martin." Ben muttered, and heard the pleasant, dull sigh of Martin.  
"Hmhmmh, morning, Benny." Martin purred tiredly and with relish.  
Benedict stretched his legs briefly, and after that he kissed his way upwards to Martin's Adam's Apple. He placed a soft kiss on it, kissed Martin’s chin and his jaw.   
They looked each other in the eyes, smiled softly and shared a tender, soft kiss. The lips were moving slowly and tenderly. Martins hand ran gently through Benedict's hair, who sighed into the kiss. Benedict's fingers caressed Martin’s spine upwards to the neck.   
Martin's tongue licked lightly across Benedict's lower lip; he sucked gently at it, before their tongues danced lovingly with each other. Martin smiled into the kiss, enjoyed the butterflies in his stomach and the fast heartbeat. Benedict purred into the kiss and deepened their soft and gentle kiss. The tingling in his stomach was overwhelming.  
Martin's tongue disappeared slowly and carefully, he took Benedict's lower lip between his teeth, bit gently into it, sucked at it, bit again.   
Ben’s lip slipped free between Martin’s teeth. He purred with pure relish, opened his eyes, as well as Martin.   
They smiled at each other again, put their foreheads together.

"I was awake last night, wasn’t I?" Ben asked with a soft mumble.  
"Yeah, you were. Then I put you in my arms and you fall asleep." Martin muttered.  
"Can’t remember it very well.”  
"It’s fine, hun. Actually, I didn’t want to wake you up." He breathed a small kiss on Ben’s lips. "Shower, thus we are awake?“  
Benedict smiled at him.  
"Okay,... yeah, let’s go to the shower."  
He broke apart, ran his hand through Martins soft hair, his ear, his cheek.  
Martin smiled, sighed and enjoyed the lovely caresses. He yawned, rubbed his eyes and stood up with Benedict. 

They went to the bathroom, used the toilet one after the other and took a shower. They were silent, both still in their just-waking up-mode. Martin and Benedict washed and stepped out of the shower.   
And Benedict as well as Martin had wrapped a towel around his waist. Martin had a second one in his hand, and dried his hair.

"How was the dinner with Una, honey?"  
Benedict, with the toothpaste in his hand, smiled to him.  
"Great, the food was really tasty, but we had to wait quite long. We went to this Chinese, where we were with my parents, a few years ago. It was pretty full, we had been lucky and got the last table."  
“Ah. Yes, he's great." Martin smiled. He hung the towel on a hook and ran his hand through his nearly dry hair.  
"We have used the time for a nice chat. She really likes it, that you’re the person, who’s on my side; and she told me, that I would be in good hands with you and that you'd be great." He smiled to Martin, who came to the sink and smiled.   
"Wow, that's a great compliment. I need to thank her later."  
"Yeah. And she's right, you're really great as a partner."  
"Thank you. You also Benedict, you’re really great too." Martin stroked with a warm smile on his face, across Ben’s bare back.  
"Thank you, Martin.” Ben smiled. “Otherwise, we talked about the good old times and she has talked about the childhood stories again." He smiled, and looked to Martin, who was grinning like mad. 

Benedict made some of the toothpaste on his toothbrush and handed the tube to Martin.  
"If we have more time and peace, I would love to hear these stories and see some pictures of the little, cute, baby Ben." Martin grinned, as he also put some of the toothpaste on the toothbrush.  
"Only in exchange of your stories and photos. Oh, no, I don’t need to see pictures of your as a baby and kid,... I mean there will be no difference, except your grey hair. You were already small at that time. I guess, I couldn’t see a difference with the naked eye.” He laughed.  
Martin gave him an acted evil look.  
"You should rather brush your teeth Mr. Cumberbatch, before you took a punishing." Martins eyes sparkled evilly, but his lips twitched upwards in suspicious, wanted to form a broad grin.  
"Now, now! Mr. Freeman. I love your grey hair!" Benedict grinned.  
He really loved it and in his opinion, it makes Martin even more sexy, hot and handsome.  
Martin gave Benedict’s back of the head a slap.  
"I said it, because your evil joke about my height, you fucking giant!”  
Benedict laughed and rubbed the back of his head.  
"I know, I tried to save it with a compliment."  
"You can’t save your ass. But, anyway... thank you for your compliment." Martin grinned and stroked the back of Ben’s head softly.  
"It was worth an attempt." Ben smirked, before he brushed his teeth.

After they had brushed their teeth, they went back to the bedroom.   
Martin had deposited fresh clothes in Benedict’s room yesterday and took the fresh boxer shorts.  
"How was your pub night with Amanda, in which pub had you been?" Ben asked and dressed.  
"We went to the pub, where we were already pretty often. We have drunk a few drinks, had a small snack and have talked about the holiday and that stuff." Martin smiled and slipped into his trousers.  
"Oh, God, she had read my messages as well." Ben remembered again.  
Martin grinned and nodded.  
"Yes, she has. Relax honey, it was completely harmless what you had sent to me. Look, she actually thought about our roles and positions during sex." Martin grinned. "She thought you would be the one who is the bottom."  
Benedict looked at him with big eyes.  
"Seriously? She thought about our sex life?“  
"I was surprised, too." Martin grinned, and then added. "But she said that it would be harmless to think about it."  
Benedict raised the eyebrow, slipped in a white T-Shirt and smiled.  
"Right, you shared a bed with her."  
Martin grinned and nodded.  
"She said that too. And she asked if I could imagine to have sex with a woman again."  
"And, could you? " Ben asked with a smile.

"I haven't thought about it, Benedict. I'm with you, I love the sex with you and I have no desire to have sex with someone else. I don’t know what would be if we break up. But, you know which role I prefer, I love to bottom, no matter in which position. A woman couldn’t give me that. Finally, for me love belongs to sex. This with Amanda was just a one night stand. So it would depend on the person I fall in love with, if it is a man or a woman. And whether I would enjoy the sex with a woman as much as the sex with a man. What’s your opinion?" He smiled gently.

Benedict had listened to him, he shrugged his shoulders and watched Martin as he pulled over a dark blue polo shirt.  
"I think my answer is similar to yours. I mean it would be possible in terms of my preference of our sex. But the body is still different, I think, I would really miss the male voice, the rougher hands, the scratching of a beard. I never had better sex in my life. I mean, I don't think, that I would completely reject sex with a woman, if we would break up, but as you say, the question is how much I would enjoy it." He smiled gently.

Martin looked to him with a warm smile, he buttoned up the polo shirt and sat down on the chair to put on his socks.   
They smiled at each other and Benedict went to the bathroom; Martin followed him shortly afterwards.

They both stood in front of the mirror and styled their hair. Martin has his hands in his hair, looked through the mirror.  
"Benny?" He asked gently.  
Benedict looked at him through the mirror.  
"Yes?" He looked at him questioningly.  
"Um, well. That night with Amanda,... is that bad for you? Do you feel uncomfortable, when Amanda and I are having some time just for us? When I told you that 2 or 3 years ago, you never have directly expressed, how you feel about this. We just talked about the facts, because you have asked whether there was ever more than just friendship between us." Martin looked with warm eyes at him through the mirror, but his eyes were also uncertain. 

Ben shook his head.  
"No, I mean... well, I just didn’t care about it. Okay, these are perhaps the wrong words. You're an adult, it's your thing. It’s neither bad nor good, it’s just neutral. I was a little surprised, but somehow I had also expected it. I mean you are friends with Amanda for nearly 16 years now and you are really close with her. Sometimes one shared just more than a peck on the cheek." He smiled and turned his head to Martin. "You told me at the time, that you didn’t regret it, that you two shared and enjoyed a night together, and that it has nothing changed on your friendship. And you said to me, that you both have laughed in retrospect. Amanda is the last person that I'm jealous of. I trust you, Martin. Unconditionally. You are really close friends and that is beautiful. I really love your friendship with Amanda. It doesn’t bother me that you’re spending time with her or share an amicable kiss with her off camera. Everything is fine, Martin. I have no problems with your one night stand, and I mean it was 13 years ago. If there would be anything, that would would bother me, I would have talked about it. Our fight was really bad, and I’m still ashamed of it. It had made me thought and the last thing I want is to hurt you, just because I can't get my mouth open once again. Everything's great, with Amanda, you and me. " He smiled fondly.

Martin had turned to him, as Ben looked directly at him. He smiled gently at him, raised his hand and stroked across his cheek.  
"Okay,... I just wanted to ask." He said gently.  
"It's not, that I'm not jealous. I think it's a part of love. I love you, I care about you so much, and the fear to lose you at some point starts automatically. And so the envy."  
"Yes, a little envy is a part of love, that’s true. And I’m jealous too, so please stop to come across this sexy to others." Martin winked with a grin.  
"I can’t even understand why they all think I’m sexy; I with my strange face. How should I stop it?" Ben chuckled.   
"Remind me later, to enumerate all the things to you, that makes you sexy as hell, Mr. Benedict fucking sexy Cumberbatch." He ran his fingers gently and carefully through Ben’s styled hair. "We need to go now, love."  
He leaned up, breathed a gentle kiss on Ben’s cheek.  
Ben smiled with a little shy grin.

 

On the way to the hotel's restaurant, their ways parted.   
Benedict went to the restaurant and Martin to his own room. He dropped his mobile phone onto the bed, he wouldn’t need it. He snapped up a light jacket, which he probably wouldn’t wear anyway – better safe than sorry.


	57. A Sherlock trip

Amanda, Una, and Martin, sat in the back seats of Mark’s car, who was driving; Benedict sat in the passenger seat beside him. They were en route to Swansea, had enjoyed their breakfast earlier in the hotel. The weather was lovely, it was pleasantly warm; no wind, the sun was shining, the sky was nearly cloudless. It was perfect for their trip.   
Mark parked on a public parking lot.

"So my dears, we're here, now we count again, whether there are actually all here. Martin begins.” He said, and turned his head to Martin with a big grin.   
Martin showed him laughing a bird.  
"You're crazy, forget it.“  
"This was not a request, but an order. My car, my rules." He grinned.  
Martin rolled his eyes.  
"One!"  
"Two." Amanda was grinning beside him.  
"Three." Una chuckled.  
"Four!" Benedict said, and opened his door at the same time.   
“Five - super, we are complete." Mark smirked.

Martin and Benedict had already left the car, Martin looked at him with his 'was-he-serious' look, and pushed the sunglasses out of his hair, down to his eyes, he grinned softly.   
Benedict grinned at him gently and wrapped his arms around Martins neck.   
The others got out as well and came to Benedict and Martin.  
Martin pressed Ben a short kiss on the collarbone, before he slowly broke apart. He smiled up, took Ben’s hand and walked with Ben and the others to the city.

The girls strolled ahead, they looked through every shop window, especially those with shoes, handbags and jewelry.   
Benedict had put his arm around Martin's shoulder, who had laid his arm around Benedict's hip.   
Mark walked alongside.   
They stopped again in front of a shop window.   
“I would love to go inside and have a look. Are you guys waiting here?" Amanda asked smiling.  
Mark, Martin and Ben nodded.  
"I come with you." Una smiled.  
"We will wait for you." Martin said, smiling.

The two women disappeared in the boutique, while Martin, Benedict, and Mark stood in front of it.   
Mark looked around, pointed to an eye shop.  
"I'm going to the eye shop for a short look. Are you two waiting? Otherwise, we should say it the girls."  
"No, no. We will wait." Benedict said, smiling and leaning against the wall next to the boutique, in which Amanda and Una were gone.  
Mark smiled at them and went to the eye shop, which was located opposite the boutique. 

Martin turned to Benedict.   
He enjoyed the sun, which shone warm down to them; he put a hand on Benedict's hip and rubbed with the other gently over Ben’s chest. Martin smiled lovingly to his partner, put his hand on his cheek and stroked back and forth with his thumb.  
"I am looking forward to the dinner with your parents, love. How is your father, flu defeated?" Martin asked, and put his hand on Benedict’s shoulder.  
"Ahh, yes, we had phoned a few minutes, when I was on my way to the breakfast this morning. I’ve forgot to tell you that, when you came back from your room. He's doing better. Fever is gone, but still a cough. I should greet you and tell you that they looking forward to the dinner with you." Ben smiled lovingly.

"When you phone with them the next time, say love back. It was really a pity that it hadn't worked out last weekend, but your father should also enjoy the evening. I think it was better that they have cancelled the dinner. And it would have been a shame, if they would have left earlier, I like your parents very much and it was always nice to see them on the set of Sherlock or on premieres."  
"They like you too, Martin. They have never been so excited to meet a person I’m in a relationship with, until now." He smirked.  
"This builds up pressure now, sweetheart." Martin grinned "Now I need to convince them, that I’m the best significant other for their son."  
"Use your charm and be kind to me, you don’t need to do more than that." Benedict grinned and wrapped his arms gently around Martin.  
Martin nodded with a smile.

Benedict winked, leaned down to Martin's lips, who closed his eyes. Benedict's kissed him tenderly, and when he broke apart Martin pressed him a small kiss on the lips. He caressed gently across Benedict's neck and smiled up.  
"Come here, again." Martin muttered softly.   
His smile was wide, and Benedict could literally see him beam through the sunglasses.   
Benedict smiled, leaned down again and captured Martin's lips again – lovingly.  
"I love you." Martin muttered and put his lips on Benedicts again.   
Shortly thereafter, they heard a male throat clearing.

The couple broke apart, they turned their heads to the sound source and saw a smiling Mark.   
"Ah, back again." Martin smiled. His hand slid down from Ben's neck, to his shoulder, his arm and his hand.   
"Yes, I’m ready and I’m getting hungry. Are the girls still in the boutique?" Mark asked.  
"Probably still in there.They know, that we wait outside and I didn't see them coming out." Ben smiled.  
"It’s not a surprise. It’s obvious that you two were a bit distracted." Mark grinned.  
Martin grinned as well and pointed over Mark's shoulder.  
"We’re not distracted any longer and here they come."

 

The five friends walked further, found a small restaurant, where they ate some lunch together. They chatted with each other, enjoyed their food, the adventurous trip, to see each other not only professionally but privately. Also, they left out all the professional topics of their conversations. 

After lunch, they strolled back to the car, stowed Marks bag into the trunk, who had bought a new charger for his phone, and walked to the promenade.   
On the way, they had stopped at an ice cream shop, everyone had bought an ice cream and now they walked along the sandy beach. 

Una was ready with her ice cream, she had bought only one scoop.  
Mark had two, but they were also gone, because he had almost inhaled the scoops and the waffle.   
Amanda and Martin were busy with the waffle.  
Benedict licked on the last scoop. 

When Martin had the last piece of the cone in the mouth, he stopped shortly. He bent down, took off the shoes and socks and stuffed them in the shoes before he rolled up the pants.   
The others had also stopped.  
"Oh, that's a good idea." Mark smiled.  
He started the same procedure as well as Amanda.   
Una was sitting on the sandy beach. Mark and Amanda put their shoes to her.   
Martin did the same thing and smiled down at her.  
"The water is still cold, Martin." She smiled and put her handbag beside Amandas handbag.  
"Not so bad, the sun is warm enough.” He smiled gently.

He went over to Amanda and Mark. Their feet were already in the water.  
Benedict was still at the beach with Una, he wanted to eat his ice cream, before he would follow his friends. 

 

Mark and Amanda were standing more at the beach, just the feet were in the water.   
Martin had managed to roll up his pants nearly up to his knees. He was standing not only with his feet in the water, the water swashed against his knees. The anticipation of the holiday with Ben had become bigger with that trip.

Benedict was ready with his ice cream, he had slipped out of his shoes and socks. He walked to Amanda and Mark, who smiled at him.   
Martin beamed over to him.   
Benedict smiled gently and then he grinned broadly. 

Actually, he had wanted to scare Martin.   
Actually.   
Actually, he had wanted to run to him and to stop right in front of him.  
In the end, it happened something, that was completely different.   
He was running to Martin with a big grin on his face. His partner grinned as well and stepped aside.   
Benedict ran at full pelt, and it was a bit too much, he got into a stumble, even before he reached Martin. He stumbled towards Martin, couldn’t hold his balance any longer; he just grabbed quickly Martin's polo shirt in the chest area and pulled him down into the water, when he fell.

One could hear the loud laughter of Mark, Amanda and Una, before the loud splash sound of Benedict and Martin was to hear.   
The three friends couldn’t see the two men for a short time. 

The white T-Shirt of Ben stuck to his chest, the water has made it transparent. Martin's dark blue polo shirt, clung also against his upper body. Martin was laughing very hard and ran his hand through his wet hair. He looked at Ben through his sunglasses and punched him against the chest.  
"You're such a goofus." Martin laughed.  
Benedict almost lost his balance again, but Martin wrapped his hand around Ben’s wrist.   
They both laughed, and Martin shook his head in amusement and disbelief.  
"That was not well planned Benny." Martin grinned broadly. "And then you drag me into your messed up mission as well, you mad dork." He laughed with Ben.

Martin turned his head to the others, they were still laughing. Mark held his belly.  
"Nobody had filmed that, am I right?" Martin asked.  
He walked with wet clothes out of the water.   
Benedict followed him, and Amanda shook her head, grinning.  
"Too bad, we could have sent it to You’ve been framed. They would have showed it and we had won 250 pounds.” He grinned broadly and then turned his head to Ben. "What were you thinking, actually." He asked with a grin.  
"I would like to know that as well." Mark laughed.  
"I wanted to scare you! To run and then stop in front of you. But, well... my plan failed." Ben laughed.

Martin grinned broadly, dropped down onto the sand. He was completely wet, the clothes stuck on his body, as well as the hair. He lay back in the sand, bent his knees and took off the sunglasses, put them on his belly and closed his eyes.   
Fortunately, it was warm; the sun shone from the cloudless sky. The cold water had done good. He hadn’t minded at all, if he wore short trousers today. And now he wondered why he had taken a jacket with him.   
At lunch, they had agreed to spend the afternoon on the beach, so he could lie around here and get dry again. He crossed his arms under his head.

Mark, Amanda, and Benedict came to him and Una. Mark sat down next to Una with Amanda.  
Benedict sat down beside Martin. He looked down at him and lay down in the sand.   
At the same time, both men turned their heads in the direction of the other. Martin opened the eyes, beaming amused to Benedict.   
Benedict turned to the side, ran his hand gently through Martin's hair.  
"Bad?" Benedict asked gently.  
"No, love. Nevertheless,... you're still a moron, Benny." Martin chuckled lovingly. "You just should stay sweet, nice and polite and leave the naughty things to me. I have enough experience.“  
Benedict smiled gently, slid closer and gave Martin a gentle kiss.  
"That would be the best." Ben chuckled gently.

Martin smiled and surveyed him with warm eyes. He turned to his side, to face Benedict, and stroked gently through his wet and dark hair.  
"I like your white T-Shirt." Martin muttered.  
Ben raised an eyebrow with a grin, breathed Martin a kiss on the lips, before he closed his eyes and enjoyed the Sun.

 

The sun slowly dried their skin, their hair and their clothes. They had changed their positions, from the side, to the back, to the side and on the belly.   
Mark had been in a coffee shop with Amand and had bought them coffee and some muffins and donuts. They had eaten the stuff on the beach. Martin had talked with Mark, while Ben had talked with Una and Amanda.

Mark sat back to Amanda, Benedict and Una; and Martin scrambled up.   
He came to Benedict, stroked him gently through his hair and leaned down to give him a kiss on the dark, soft curls; afterwards he sat down – behind Benedict  
Martin stretched his legs out, next to Benedicts hips. He wrapped his arms around Ben's chest and leaned his chest and head against Benedicts back. He was hidden behind his boyfriend; his eyes were closed, and he was rubbing his cheek across a part of Benedict's back and gave that part every now and then a kiss.   
Ben in front of him smiled, put his hands on Martin's arms, and caressed his arms, during his conversation with the others.

Martin held back; he just enjoyed the closeness to Benedict, the cuddling and Ben’s soft caresses. He just listened to the others.   
They talked about the vacation trips, everyone would make this year.   
Martin cuddled in total silence Benedict, listened to the conversation. He could hardly wait to go to Italy with Ben, to do some sightseeing, to relax, to go swim, to lie down on the beach with him. And to celebrate Ben’s birthday in Italy.   
Two weeks just Benedict and he.   
Having some time for themselves as a couple.   
Time to recharge.   
Time to enjoy their relationship without the whole hustle and bustle. 

 

On the way back to Cardiff they held at a nice looking Greek restaurant and enjoyed dinner and a glass of wine.   
A perfect end for their little weekend trip.


	58. Dinner with the parents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You guys get a few pictures for that chapter :-)

<http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/32000000/Benedict-Cumberbatch-benedict-cumberbatch-32078048-500-702.jpg>

 

<http://nullnfull.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Book-of-New-Zealand-Martin-Freeman-with-Lake-Pukaki-Mount-Cook-featured-as-Lake-town.jpg>

 

 

Benedict stood in his bedroom, with bare feet, black boxer shorts and a white shirt - it hung unbuttoned over his shoulders.  
Weekend, specifically Saturday, Saturday night and in the next half an hour his parents would arrive to pick them up - to pick them up for their dinner.  
He hadn't the feeling that their trip to Swansea was only two weeks ago, but it just was. The time had passed really quickly.  
On Monday, two weeks ago the next read-through and rehearsal week had begun, and yesterday after the shooting, they had been driven home to Benedict's place.  
He looked forward to the evening with his parents and with Martin.

Martin came back from the bathroom to the bedroom, he was wearing only his boxer shorts. His gaze rested gently smiling on Benedict; he came to him, stroked briefly Ben's bare stomach and then he bent down a bit, to take his grey suit trousers from the bed. He slipped into his pants, zipped it and closed the button.  
Benedict buttoned up his shirt, then turned to Martin and stroked his bare back. Martin looked up, his eyes sparkled at him, warm and loving. But something else sparkled in his eyes.  
Benedict bowed his head. What was it?  
Uncertainty? Nervousness? Fear?  
"Martin? Everything okay with you? " He asked fondly.  
Martin held his black Polo-Shirt in his hand, looked up to Benedict and breathed out.  
"I don't know why, but I'm incredibly nervous." As a proof, he raised his hand, which was actually shaking. "What is totally silly, I've seen your parents so often; premieres, on the set of Sherlock, we were on a few dinners privately with each other - before we were a couple. Even on Christmas I wasn't that nervous as I have told my family that we are together. It is complete nonsense."  
He ran his hand through his hair, scratching the back of the head and shrugged his shoulders.  
"So nervous about my parents? What worries you? " Ben asked softly while he slipped in his dark trousers and put the shirt into it.  
"Maybe it's the pressure that I am now am the partner of their son and not just a friend. I don't want to disappoint them. Your parents are really important to you, and you are important to me... and I don't know what they expect from me now."  
Benedict closed the pants, then caressed across Martin's cheek and left his hand there. His lips kissed softly Martin's forehead before he smiled fondly  
"They just want that I am happy... and now I'm with you and you make me happy. So you already reached the goal."  
"It doesn't calm me down, Benny." Martin said with a nervous voice.  
Benedict laughed gently, took the hand off Martin's cheek and pulled him into his arms.

"Come on!" He pressed Martin lovingly into his arms. "You know each other almost as long as we both know each other. And even though my parents are not quite as relaxed as yours; they both offered you at the first meeting to call them by their first names in an informell way. They liked you from the start and even before they knew you personally, they loved you as an actor. No matter with whom I've a phone call or a date, they always asked for you - what you're up to, whether you're fine... and they didn'z just do that since we are a couple, they've always done it. Every time. They appreciate you very much, as my colleague, my friend, as an actor, and I'm sure they will appreciate you as my partner after our dinner. Just like your parents, they had been a bit astonished at Christmas, but they are happy about it. The only thing they wanted in terms of my love life, was that I find someone who loves me unconditionally and makes me happy, someone who gives me the feeling that this is home. That totally matched for you Martin - you love me unconditionally, you make me truly happy and you're my home. Just be Martin, tonight, that will be more than enough - a gentleman, charming, attentive and a cheeky devil." He murmured softly against Martin's hair, pulled him even closer and pressed small kisses on Martin's temple.

Martin had cuddled with him, his eyes closed, listening to Benedicts words - and his heart was now racing not only because of the nervousness, but also because of the fact, that he seemed to be very important to Ben's parents.  
"What?... You have never told me that they asked after me that often." He muttered baffled against Benedict's collarbone.  
"Hmm, not? Then you know it now. It was always important for them to know how you're doing. And they have defended our relationship and you even in front of acquaintances, who are mad about my same-sex relationship. They've taken you and our relationship in protection."  
Martin raised his head.  
"What? You didn't even tell me that."  
"Whatever for Martin. That are personal acquaintances of my parents, I don't really know them. I have met them two or three times for a few minutes; my parents just talk about them sometimes. It is not important to me what they think about us. It's alright Martin." He huged Martin gently and smiled lovingly.  
"Hmm." Martin hummed, and looked up to Ben." I just don't want to disappoint them, especially not now, where I know how much they think a great deal of me."  
"What I said should actually calm down, and not make you more insecure. Listen, darling. The surest way to disappoint my parents tonight would be a completely unrelaxed Martin and a totally different behavior than usual. So please, relax; be sassy, sarcastic and ironic and the charming gentleman who you are at the same time." He cupped Martin's face and he kissed him softly. "Come on Martin. I'm the nervous one from both of us. So, get back some self-confidence. " Ben smiled.

Martin was still silent, and Benedict chuckled softly, he broke apart and took a step back. He stroked with his index finger Martin's neck downwards to the collarbone, to his sternum, down to his belly. A sigh an purr of pleasure escaped Martin, as Benedict's index finger breathed upwards again - and rubbed his left nipple.  
"You should get dressed, love, otherwise my parents will see you half-naked on our first dinner." He smirked.  
Martin needed to smile.  
"Okay, but when we're back,... then you could go on with these caresses. Could you do that?" He grinned softly.  
"You don't have to ask for that." Benedict winked.

Martin smiled to Ben, who sat down and took his socks.  
He looked at his polo shirt, slipped into it and then he ran his fingers through Benedict's hair.  
"Thank you, Benny. I don't mean that you give me more of these lovely caresses tonight. I mean thank you for what you said. You're my home, too... and I love it, that you're not just my partner, but also one of my best friends." He smiled with a warm voice.  
He took Benedict's face in both hands, bent down a bit and gave him a kiss on the lips.  
Ben smiled lovingly, and rubbed across Martin'S back.

The two men got fully dressed, went into the bathroom again - to style their hair.  
In the hallway, they slipped into their shoes and Martin went into the bedroom again, to get his jacket.

The doorbell rang at the door.  
Benedict's words hadn't totally calmed him down, but now his nervousness was within a normal range.  
Benedict opened the door; his parents stood in front of it and were smiling.  
His father wore a suit, his mother's a blouse and trousers. He beamed at them.  
"Hey, there you are, come in. Martin get his jacket. " He said, while he stepped aside.  
The two visitors entered; Benedict shut the door again, then hugged his mother.  
"Hello Darling, beautiful that it finally worked out." She smiled, and stroked his back.  
"We are very pleased as well." He smiled, and broke away from her to embrace his father.  
Timothy also hugged him, squeezed gently his shoulder and smiled at him.  
"Nice to see you, Benedict."

Martin again came out of the bedroom, had heard the ringing, also the greeting. He was wearing the jacket, smiled at Wanda and Timothy, when he came to them. His heart raced like mad, it was stupid that he was that nervous.  
He offered his hand to Wanda with a warm smile.  
"Hello Wanda, nice to see you."  
"Martin! Hey, I'm glad that it finally worked out. " She shook his hand and stroked his arm with the other hand. "You look good." She smiled.  
"Thank you. You look gorgeous, too." He said. Benedict had said, just be Martin, he remembered. He smiled more and winked before he turned to Tim.  
They also shook hands, and Timothy patted Martin's shoulder with his free hand, fatherly.  
"Timothy, good to see you. How are you? " He asked with a smile.  
"I'm completely healthy again, I was in good care." He smiled.  
"Your wife must have handed it on to your son. I was in really good hands too, when I was sick with a flu."  
"He has all the good thing from her" Timothy smirked.  
"And I ruined your good upbringing." Martin grinned apologetically.  
"Yes, you did. By me, he has only the appearance." Tim grinned at Martin.  
Martin breathed out and his pulse got back to normal.  
Benedict grinned and put his hand on Martin's lower back. Wanda smirked to Martin.  
"At least, he has learned his bad behavior from the best."  
Martin grinned and nodded.  
"I did what I could."  
The hallway was filled with warm and cheerful laughter.

 

After their brief smalltalk, they left Benedict's house and went to the car.  
Timothy sat behind the steering wheel, Benedict on the passenger seat, Martin and Wanda sat down backwards.  
They drove together to the Italian restaurant, where Benedict's parents had ordered a table.  
They conversed a bit while driving, parked in the vicinity of the restaurant and got out.  
Martin was smiling to Benedict, got back a gentle smile and an outstretched hand. Martin's eyes shone warm, the uncertainty and nervousness were gone from them. He took Benedict's hand in his, and they strolled along the parking lot in front of Benedict's parents.  
"Thanks again, sweeatheart." Martin pressed gently Ben's hand, who returned the soft press and smiled down to him with a gentl wink.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Martin freed his hand, held the door open for the others.  
Wanda was first.  
"Thank you Martin." She smiled at him.  
"Thank you." Tim said with a happy smile.  
Ben smiled at him, breathed him a kiss on the lips, before he entered the restaurant.

Behind Benedict, a woman has waited to be able to get it; she smirked Martin, had recognized him and Benedict and its parents from afar, because she had been coming from the other direction.  
"I don't know with whom I rather would like to switch positions, with Benedict or with you." The woman grinned softly.  
Martin smirked as well and made an inviting gesture.  
"Switch with Ben, otherwise you have to open the door on your own." Martin winked.  
"Then I really switch with Benedict." She grinned and accepted the invitation of the open door. "Thank you, and a good evening. The next time wie see each other I will ask for a picture and an autograph." She smiled.  
"I wish you also a nice evening... and thanks for the privacy." He smiles gently and thankfully.

Right after the woman, Martin entered the restaurant.


	59. A dinner for 4

<http://www.bizbash.com/content/editorial/StoryPhoto/big/e19321image5.jpg>

 

Benedict and his parents waited for Martin, and when he was with them, a waiter led them to their table on the terrace.  
Martin and Benedict took off their jackets and hung them over their chair, before they sat down next to each other; Wanda and Timothy took on the opposite sitde.  
The restaurant was crowded; families chatted, ate together; an elderly couple stood up from the table next to them, they just had paid.  
Timothy smiled to his son and Martin.  
"Glad we did it now. You two have just too much to do." He chuckled.  
"I think, this time I'm the guilty one. On the beginningof the year I was still in Puerto and then we have started with Sherlock, immediately." Martin smiled  
"And then I was sick." Tim said.  
"Yes, but that wasn't predictable. And today the weather is even better. " Wanda said.  
"And we have more time. Finally, it's much better today." Ben smiled.  
One of the waiter came to their table and handed them the menue cards, before he left, he took the drink orders.  
Two red wine for Benedict and Martin; a white wine for Timothy, and just a water for Wanda.

They spent the next few minutes silently.  
In the background, one could hear nice music, and the low conversations from the other tables.  
They were engrossed in their menue cards; Martin skipped the pizza, the casseroles and the meat meals, and only read through the different pasta and fish dishes. It wasn't in the mood for pizza or casseroles, and he didn't eat meat. At the end, he took a pasta menue, closed his card and put it aside.  
Benedict already had closed his card; this morning he had said, that he would love to eat some fish, and so he had just looked on these pages of the menue card. He smiled softly to Martin, put his hand on his thigh and stroked gently back and forth.  
Martin returned the smile, put his arm on Benedict's chair and breathed his fingers across Ben's shoulder.  
Timothy and Wanda looked also into their cards, and smiled briefly to Martin and Benedict.  
Wanda just wanted to ask something as the waiter with came back with their drinks.  
They ordered their food.  
Martin and Wanda had taken one of the pasta dishes, Ben the fish and Timothy a meat menue - in addition they had all ordered a small salad.

Wanda turned her head back to her son and Martin.  
"What have you two done today? Or are you just back from Cardiff?" She asked Martin smilingly.  
"We went back yesterday. Ben wanted to stay in Cardiff, because he was too tired. We drove home anyway, and Ben used the three hours to get some sleep." He smiled gently, and glanced briefly to his partner. "We haven't done much today - just rested, breakfast, reading, cooking for lunch, and then we went out for a little stroll. What have you done? " He smiled gently.  
"We haven't done much as well, we were actually just in the city this morning and the rest of the time at home. I have phoned with Una and Tim has read the whole afternoon."  
"It was so exciting, but I needed to stop becasue I needed to get ready, and Wanda has asked every then minutes if should wear that, or this or that one... so I actually couldn't read properly." He grinned to Benedict and Martin. "By the way, Martin, I bought the book, which you have recommended to me. It's really good so far. Thank you again." He smiled to Martin.  
"I'm glad that you like it Tim."

Timothy smiled in the round and then raised his glass.  
"Now let's say cheers."  
Wanda, Benedict and Martin also raised their glasses.  
"On you Benedict and you Martin as son-in-law, and a beautiful evening." Tim smiled.  
Martin smiled gently. Son-in-law. Even if it wasn't directly true, more acceptance, Tim and Wanda couldn't have pronounced for their relationship and for him as a partner at Benedict's side.  
They looked at each other, clinked glasses and frank a sip, before they put the glasses on the table.  
Martin felt Benedict's hand on his thigh again, he felt the gentle rub and the squeeze. He wondered why he had been so nervous. Benedict had been right, he knew his parents almost as long as Benedict himself, in between were just a few weeks. They had been immediately sympathetic as well as it had been with Ben. They had always been able to talk very good and nice with each other during premieres and shooting. They had even spent some dinner together in Cardiff and several phone calls, before they got a cople last year.  
Yesterday, when Benedict had phoned with his mum, he had passed the phone to Martin afterwards, because Tim had wanted to talk with him - and during their conversation, Martin had talked about the book, which Timothy seemed to have bought today.

Benedict's father chuckled softly.  
"You were lucky Benedict, your mother wanted to take family photos with her and show them to Martin." He grinned.  
"Why must it always be the same on the first evening, if one introduced someone to his parents." Ben grinned.  
"This is not the first evening, darling. Your luck and my mishap that the photos are still a home. At the latest after the holidays, I'd like to have a look on baby Ben." He grinned cheekily.  
Wanda grinned, drank some of the water.  
"I can tell you some childhood stories, Martin." She said happily.  
Ben wanted to distract his mother.  
"We could rather talk about your vacation, yo said, that you wanted to look after a nice holiday... "  
Martin turned his head to Ben and smiled.  
"I would prefer some cute stories about you." His eyes were amused, and Benedict turned his head to him.  
"You should back me up!"  
"No, love. You'd want to hear stories from my childhood, if we would be sitting here with my parents. So, darling, just shut up." He grinned, and stroked over Ben's shoulder with his hand, which was still lying on Benedict's chair.  
"I need to agreee with that." Benedict grinning now.  
Martin smiled, then turned his head to his parents, who also smirked.  
"You have my full attention."

Wanda smiled at him and nodded.  
Martin looked with exciting eyes to her.  
"So what is there still to learn about your son?"  
"He was once afraid of sparklers and his cousin, was really into fire and that stufff, and she teased him on New Year's Eve. She ran after him with the sparklers in her hand, and Benedict fled screamingly the whole time." She grinned softly.  
Martin grinned widely, he had to laugh together with Tim and turned his head to Ben.  
"You're scared of sparklers?"  
"When I was a kid!" Benedict defended himself with a grin.  
"I know what I buy this year for New Year's Eve, lots of sparklers. Only for you." Martin grinned.  
"I'm not afraid of sparklers anymore." Ben grinned.  
"Last year you haven't had one in your hand."  
"Yes, that was because Simon hadn't sparklers at all, Martin. There'S no picture with you and a sparkler in your hand, as well." Ben smirked.  
"IYeah, but I'm not afraid sparklers. I always loved that - as well as candles and fireworks." He grinned, and looked back to Wanda and Timothy. "I already like this cousin."  
Wanda smiled amused.  
"Whenever we tell this story, she defends herself, that it was revenge because he had bitten her foot."  
Martin grinned even wider, looked at Wanda with warm and amused eyes.  
"He has bite her foot?"  
"Yes, there's even an evidence photo." Tim grinned.  
"Hello?! At that time, I was a baby, without teeth, so it wasn't a bite at all. That doesn't count. Now stop these horrific stories, before Martin flees."  
Martin grinned broadly.  
"Biting is biting, that can hurt even without teeth. But don't worry, I stay with you, hun, even if you are afraid of sparklers and are a bit snappy." He grinned broadly.  
"How merciful, that you want to keep me." Ben laughed.  
Martin smiled broadly at him, breathing the fingers gently across Ben's shoulder.

When the food came, they interrupted the stories from Benedict's childhood and talked about the upcoming holiday and the holiday of Benedict's parents - they were still planning.  
The atmosphere was relaxed.  
They all enjoyed their food, the conversations, the music in the background. The lighting conjured up a pleasant summer atmosphere on the terrace.

 

After their food, they still sat together in a cozy atmosphere.  
Martin had his red wine in his hand, felt Benedict's hand on his back, the fingers caressed gently back and forth.  
"It's you're turn now. I would like to hear a childhood story from you" Benedict smiled softly to Martin.  
"I was hoping you would forget it." He smirked charmingly.  
"We would have reminded him, Martin. We are also very interested in a story." Tim chuckled.  
"Okay, okay... um. Hmm, well, I fled from the kindergarten some time, because they wanted to force me to eat liver. I never was much into meat, and liver was really the last thing I would have wanted to eat, and I couldn't stand the kindergarten teacher, I really didn't like her. She discussed with me, and at some point it was enough for me - so I've took my lunch box and got off home." He grinned.  
Benedict grinned broadly, and his as well.  
"Did they notice it in the kindergarten?" Wanda asked with a grin.  
"No." he grinned. "I haven't changed, I ran with my jumper, tights and slippers, through the little "forest" and then I was almost at home, they have noticed it, when my mother has dragged me to the kindergarten again." He grinned more.  
His partner and his parents laughed heartily.  
"Lovely, with tights and slippers. Did you get into trouble? " Benedict laughed.  
"No, I didn't. My mom went back with me to the kindergarten and has insulted the governess. First of all because of the food, and then because they hadn't noticed that I'm gone." He grinned broadly.  
"Have you been nice and well behaved as a young boy?" Ben smirked, and saw that Martin shook his head.  
"No... I was quite cheeky, naughty and a bounder. I mean I've four older siblings - there you have to learn to assert yourself. Sometimes I was really lucky and my brothers or Laura got the trouble for my mishief." He grinned.  
"And when did you get trouble?" Timothy smirked, and drank a sip from his second glass of wine.

Wanda looked up from her glass. She enjoyed the evening with the three men, the conversationss, the mood, the way Ben and Martin handle each other. Her eyes rested warm on Martin, who looked into the round and smirked. Benedict had turned a bit to Martin and was still caressing softly his back with the fingers; he had crossed his legs, and in his other hand he held the wine.  
Martin drank a sip and put the glass down on the table; he enjoyed Benedict's light stroking on his back.  
"I wanted scare my brother - Jamie. He loves the story very much and he finds it still very amusing. We had our rooms on the second floor and I was already upstairs, I was waiting for him, stood close against the wall by the stairs. I knew, that when he comes upstairs, he turns on the light,... so I put my hand on the light switch. At some point I heard steps, I was really excited, and then I felt a hand on mine. Unfortunately the cry and scream was female and came from my mother. I scared her very much and I got a lot of trouble. Jamie had laughed, we have always praanked us, but this one went to my misfortune unfortunately wrong." He grinned.  
"Did you got a penalty or a few significant words?" Benedict laughed.  
"Both, I got a decent blast and was not allowed to go with on the trip on the next day" He chuckled.  
"Have you been always that naughty?" Tim smirked.  
"Yes, I have been always that naughty and during the years I perfected it." He grinned. "Ultimately it was just for my defense."  
"Of course, Martin. Everything was about your defense." Timothy grinned.  
"I rather shut up now, before I will tell you more that could be used against me. That's why I go to the gents now." He grinned, and stood up.  
He stroked across Ben's shoulder and went to the toilet.

Benedict looked after him, then drank a sip from the glass and twirled it.  
His mother smiled gently.  
"He is even more sympathetic to me than before, if that is possible." She smiled.  
"I will not tell him that. You should tell him that in person, he will be very pleased about it. He was very nervous, because he was afraid to disappoint you two. " He smiled to his parents.  
"Nervous because of us? And affraid to disappoint us? That'S not really possible, to dissapoint us, he had needed to do a lot of bad things, things that weren't Martins manner." Timothy smiled softly.  
"Hhm, he knows that you are very important to me and you are also important to him and he appreciates you, he didn't know, what you expected today from him, because he is now my partner, and not just a friend."  
"We hand't expected anything, except a nice and cozy evening with our son and his partner." Wanda said.

They stopped their conversation when the waiter came back and collected the empty plate.  
"Do you want to have a dessert?" He smiled.  
Benedict's parents shook their heads, Wanda denied again, but ordered an espresso.  
Ben looked up, he would love to have some tiramisu, but he knew he probably wasn't going to eat it all. He pondered shortly. Martin also liked tiramisu, he could share it with him.  
"I'd take a tiramisu." Ben smiled.  
"Can I bring your partner a dessert as well?" The waiter asked friendly.  
"No, I think two spoons to the tiramisu and two coffee are enough." Ben smiled kindly.  
"Okay." He smiled again.

A short time later, Martin came back from the toilet and sat down again.  
"I have ordered us tiramisu and coffee."H he heard Benedict saying next to him.  
"It sounds very good, but I don't think that I'm able to eat the whole tiramisu."  
"I ordered only one fot the both of us.", Benedict smiled.  
"Ahh, great. A few spoon fit in."

Wanda, Tim, Ben and Martin were still comfortably sitting together, drinking their coffee or espresso, and the tiramisu was shared by Martin and Benedict. They chatted during their dessert, and enjoyed the last bits of their evening.

 

After Timothy had paid, Benedict and Martin had slipped into their jackets, they got out and back to the car. Wanda drove this time, Timothy sat down in the passenger seat and looked though the mirror to Martin and Benedict.  
Ben smiled to Martin, put his hand on his thigh. Martin smiled, leaned slightly to Ben, who did the same. They locked their lips for a brief but affectionate kiss. Martin's eyes lit up to Ben, he stretched bit more, pressed him a small kiss on his temple and ran his fingers through Benedict's hair.  
Timothy witnessed the pair in the rearview mirror; his son had closed eyes, a smile stretched across his face, and as Martin took the hand out of his hair, he slowly opened his eyes.  
Tim smiled to himself. He was happy for his son, as well as for Martin. As Benedict had told them that he ws in a relationship with Martin, he hadn't had problems with it at all, but a couple of days later it was a bit odd. He had always wanted grandchildren, and his Wanda as well, and he knew that even Benedict had wanted children, and the same was true for Martin. Ultimately, the wish wasn't unattainable, but he didn't know whether Benedict and Martin wanted that in their relationship. Probably they hadn't talked about it, yet.

When they stopped, Wanda and Timothy got out with them, they followed Martin and ben to the front door.  
They were saying goodbye to each other.  
And Martin found himself in a hearty hug from Wanda.  
"Martin, the evening was very nice and I'm glad to know that my son have such a great and loving man at his side." She smiled in the embrace.  
"Thank you for the evening and for dinner Wanda, I liked the evening very much I and hope we can repeat something like that soon. And thank you, I am also glad to have your son by my side." He smiled, and hugged her gently.  
She broke apart, stroked across his upper arm, before she released him for Timothy.  
Martin turned to Tim, smiled at him, they shook hands; Tim patted his shoulder and pulled him in a short paternal embrace, what surprised Martin pretty much.  
"You're a great son-in-law, Martin. And we're always really glad when we have the opportunity to see you or to talk with you. You don't have to be nervous, because of us. You can't dissapoint us. We really love this mixture of gentlemen and boorish naughty kid, so don't lose that and then we're completely happy." He smiled, and dissipated.  
Martin looked up at him, smiled at him gratefully.  
"Thank you Tim! Also for the invitation for dinner this evening. I was just pretty nervous, total nonsense actually. " He smiled.  
"Yes, Benedict had mentioned it." Timothy replied. "And I also thank you for the nice family evening."  
Benedict was now standing next to Martin, put a hand on his back. His parents smiled at the two.  
"Have a great Sunday, and fun in Cardiff." Tim and Wanda said, and then went to the car.

Martin and Benedict waved, before Benedict unlocked the door.  
They both sat down in the living room, talked about the evening, cuddled slightly on the couch and got ready for bed after half an hour.  
Benedict laiy on the back, Martin was lying between his legs on his upper body. The cheek was on Benedict's shoulder, the face was pressed into the crook of his neck, his arms were wrapped around him. Also Benedict had put his arms around Martin, his fingers stroked aalong is spine, and he pressed small, gentle kisses on his neck.  
Benedict hadn't thought that he could fall asleep like this, but in fact he had slowly drifted to sleep and Martin had followed him a short time later.


	60. Let's fly away

In the following nine weeks they had been on set of Sherlock. In the Studio, in London, they had been on locations in Wales, and had enjoyed the their Sherlock time together with the other colleagues and the crew. There were days, which had been fun, which had been relaxed and they came well ahead and then there had been days, which had felt like years.   
On the weekends, they had been in London or Potters Bar, they had spent the Saturday and Sunday with each other or separated from each other. Three weeks ago, they had met with Benedict's parents and also with Martin's mother and stepfather. They all had been on a trip together and after they had been back, they had eaten dinner together.   
Martin's parents already knew Benedict's parents, but they so far they had just met them at the premiere of The Hobbit and the Desolation of Smaug.   
The trip was nice, with great weather, at least during the day. When they had been on the way to the restaurant, it had begun to rain terribly. Timothy and Wanda had came along excellently with Philomena and James, ultimately they had sat and talked in the restaurant until it closed its doors. 

Yesterday had been the last day of shooting; and during the Wrap Party, the cast and crew had drank, ate, chatted and celebrated.   
Benedict and Martin had stayed in the hotel and in the morning they had driven back to Potters Bar.  
Martin had packed his bags for the holidays; then they were driven to London, had eaten lunch, Benedict had been at the hairdresser. 

 

Now, Benedict stood in his bedroom and packed his bags. Martin lay in the bed on his side, he supported his head in the palm of his hand and watched Ben during its packing. He was happy to be on holiday tomorrow, and he looked really much forward to it - vacation with Benedict in Italy, two weeks; sea and beach, sund and delicious food, relaxing and trips, private time with his boyfriend.   
Martin beamed to Ben, who packed a few T-Shirts into one of the bags.  
"Why you're beaming like mad, honey?" Ben smiled to him, and put the T-Shirts into the bag.  
"I am just totally happy about tomorrow. Our first vacation. Since we have booked it, I am looking forward to it - every day a bit more." Martin beamed with warm eyes up to Benedict.   
"I can't wait to get on the plane with you tomorrow and to spend the next two weeks together."

He was smiling to Martin, supported himself on the bed with the knees and one hand; he leaned down, kissed Martin's lips softly.   
Martin sighed into the Kiss, closed his eyes again and laid a hand gently on Benedict's cheek. He returned Bens kiss, turned on his back and pulled Benedict by the collar of his Polo-Shirt down. They kissed each other upside down, moved their lips gently. Benedict's tongue licked across Martin's lower lip. Martin opened his lips slightly, rubbed his tongue gently over Benedict's.   
They both purred into the kiss.   
Martin's finger still grabbed Benedicts collar; Benedict has supported his hands next to Martin, one knee was on the mattress, the other leg was outside of the bed.   
The kiss became more passionate - second by second; Martin clawed his hands into Benedict's collar, he pulled him even further down.   
Benedict moaned into the kiss, he enjoyed the kiss, who was now quite unrestrained.  
They both need to take a few deep breathes, when they broke the kiss; Martin's hand ran along Benedict's neck, gently into the hair, he played with the strands, and his eyes burned like fire.   
"You should rather pack your bags, darling." He whispered softly, and ran his hand gently through the hair again.  
"I will do it now." Ben murmured, and leaned down again, to give Martin a kiss on the forehead.  
He nudged Martin's nose with his forefinger, smiled happily down to Martin and then went back to his bags.   
Martin sighed, turned back on the side, and watched Benedict again.

When his partner was finished with packing, they brought the stuff to the hallway, ordered some takeaway for dinner and got comfortable on the couch. The remaining evening they spent together on the sofa, watching a film, which Benedict hadn't seen at all, because he had been fallen asleep at the beginning of the movie - with the head on Martin's lap.   
Martin had woken him up after the movie and had taken him to bed.  
On the next morning, they stood up very early - their flight would take off at 8.55 am.   
They drank some coffee at Benedict's place, drove with a cab to the airport, abandoned their luggage, picked up their tickets and had a breakfast at the airport, before they went through the security check and to their gate.

Martin leaned back in the chair, crossed his legs and turned his head to Benedict - smiled at him. Benedict returned his smile, he was digging into his shoulder bag.   
Martin put his hand on Ben's back, stroked gently up and down, and turned his gaze back to the big hall, let his gaze wander around.   
Benedict had been looking for his headphones, he put them into his pocket, and enjoyed Martins stroking on his back.  
The waiting area was filling up more and more. Some people, particular young adults women came to them, for an autograph or a photo.   
When the boarding was called, they grabbed their bags and entered the plane.

"Do you want to sit at the window?" Martin asked, when they had stopped in front of their seats.  
"No, I don't need to. Just sit down, darling... and give me your bag." Benedict smiled to him.  
He stretched his hand to Martin's bag.  
"Wait a minute, honey." He rummaged in his bag, took out his pair of headphones and a magazine, and then, he handed the bag to Benedict, witha soft smile. "Thank you, Benny."  
Benedict nodded and grabbed the bag. He laid Martin's bag as well as his own into the luggage rack over their seats. After that, he sat down beside Martin.  
"Finally, flying around again." Ben grinned to his partner, who looked straight out of the window.  
Martin grinned, turned his head back to him.  
"As if I wouldn't have flown enough at the beginning of the year."  
"But always much longer distances." Ben grinned.  
"And alone, now you can entertain me during the entire flight." He smirked.  
Ben laughed, and gave Martin's belly a gentle punch.   
"I'm not your personal host and entertainer."  
"Hmh, it seemed that I've misunderstood something." He laughed, and rubbed across Ben's thigh.   
Benedict patted gently Martin's hand, while they were both laughing. 

 

Martin and Benedict sat comfortably in their seats, water stood in front of them.   
Benedict listened to the music with his headphones, had his eyes closed, legs stretched out.   
Martin next to him, had his magazine in his hands, the headphones hung around his neck - he was reading.   
One of the flight attendants came to them, looked down to Martin.  
"Mr. Freeman?" She asked kindly.  
Martin raised his head, turned around and smiled up.  
"Yes?" He asked friendly.  
"Can I bring you anything?"  
"Oh great, yeah, um a tea would be quite nice, black with milk and sugar."  
"And for Mr. Cumberbatch, does he need anything?" She asked with a smile, and was pointing at the man beside Martin, who comfortably hung in the seat, eyes still closed, the ear plugs of his headphones stuck in his ears.  
Martin looked up at him, bowed his head, he was not quite sure if he was asleep or just resting. His gaze wandered back to the flight attendant.  
"Um, you can bring him just a cup of coffee and two milk." He smiled up.  
The woman smiled and nodded.  
"I'm back in a few minutes" She said and left.

Martin leaned back into his seat again, regardless of whether Benedict was sleeping or just resting, he didn't want to disturb him. He put his magazine away, looked a while out of the window.   
The sun shone; occasionally, he saw thick white clouds - fields, towns, villages and mountains.   
He glanced briefly at his watch, approximately an hour to go and they would be at least at the airport.   
Martin smiled to himself - last year at this time, he would have never dared to dream that he would go on a vacation with Benedict, not as friends and not as a couple. He remembered all the messages and phone calls, in which they had flirted a lot. Now it seemed so obvious that almost every message and every call had expressed how much they were in love with each other. At that time, he had been completely unsure, although it had been so clear. He had not seen the wood for the trees. 

"Mr. Freeman?... Mr. Freeman?"  
He turned his head around, looked at the stewardess with the two cups in her hands.  
"Sorry, I was in thoughts." He smiled apologetically.  
"Not bad, at some point you would have responded." She smiled, put down the coffee for Benedict, and handed Martin the tea.  
Benedict opened his eyes, when Martin moved properly, to grab his tea, put it down on the table and to free his wallet out of his trouser pocket. He pulled his ear plugs out of his ears looked to Martin and then to the woman, who smiled at him.   
"Mr. Freeman has ordered a coffee for you, we didn't know whether you sleep or not."  
Benedict smiled, looked at his table and saw the steaming coffee cup, his eyes sparkled.  
"Oh great. Thank you, Martin. " He smiled to Martin, who just smiled at him and handed some money to the woman. "And thank you." Ben smiled to the stewardess, who accepted the money and wished them a pleasant flight.

Benedict turned off the music, looked back to Martin, who put the wallet back in his pocket.  
"I had just rest eyes, I didn't even notice that she was here."  
"I was not quite sure, that's why I didn't want to disturb you until your coffee and my tea is here." Martin smiled lovingly, and leaned to Ben, to give him a gentle kiss on the hair.  
He put his hand on Benedict's forearm, stroked gently back and forth. He took his cookie.  
"You can have it, if you like, I don't really like that sort."  
Benedict looked at him, took the biscuit and put it down onto his table..  
"Thank you, honey. You can have mine, I've something else." He said, and took the other biscuit. He waved with the packaging in front of Martin's face. "Look it's a heart. I give you my heart." He said and smiled very gooey.  
"This is totally cheesy, Ben." Martin grinned, and put the cookie to his tea.  
"I know, but you get the cookie anyway." Ben grinned broadly.  
"Thank you, sweetheart... I love you, too." He winked.  
Ben smiled to him. 

Martin was busy with his tea, while Ben drank his coffee.  
During the remaining flight, Martin had been in Benedict's arm; they had cuddled with closed eyes, and only when the pilot said, that they would be landing in a couple of minutes, they interrupted their cuddling.


	61. Hammock

I've a few pictures for you.

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<http://www.charmingcampania.net/files/photogallery/villa-al-mare-massa-lubrense-b-1.jpg>

<http://www.charmingcampania.net/files/photogallery/villa-al-mare-massa-lubrense-b-2.jpg>

<http://www.charmingcampania.net/files/photogallery/villa-al-mare-massa-lubrense-b-3.jpg>

 

 

The plane jolted a bit over the ground, slowed down and rolled to the required gate, where it stopped. As the seatbelt sign went off again, Benedict and Martin got up and stowed their headphones and the magazine back in their bag, and left the plane.  
They walked together through the airport, took one of the trolleys and searched for the baggage carousel, which was responsible for their flight.  
Martin had pushed the trolley; he pulled off his jumper, hung it over the trolley, and leaned his forearms on the handle.  
Benedict stood next to him in a T-Shirt and dark blue jeans; the lightweight jacket, which he had worn, hung eith Martins jumper over the trolley handle. His hand caressed gently above Martin's shirt, the back slowly downwards and upwards. slightly across the shoulders, and the spine back down.  
Martin turned his head to his partner, who had his mobile phone in his right hand and tapped slowly a messeage with his thumb. The left hand was busy with caressing Martin's back.  
"Whom do you text?"  
"My parents that we have arrived, and yours, too."  
"Oh great, thanks." Martin smiled, and he enjoyed Benedicts caresses on his back.  
Benedict beside him tapped a few short messeges - to Martin's parents, his parents, Amanda, Una and Simon.

Martin looked at the baggage carousel, that was still not moving; he leaned further down onhis forearms, the legs were slightly crossed. He was in thoughts, just staring at a point, and enjoying Benedict's hand, which gently stroked his back.  
Benedict's voice said his name, - he blinked a few times, lifted his head, and looked up.  
"What did you say?“  
"I asked you twice if you want to go to the beach later." Benedict smiled, and scratched gently over Martin's back.  
"Sorry, I was in thoughts. Hmh, don't know, I mean, it will take us a while until we have our luggage, and a our car, and until we're in Positano. For me it would be enough to go just shopping for some groceries, lying atthe pool and have dinner in Positano. Would you like to go to the beach?"  
Benedict shook his head.  
'Not really. I would prefer to stay at the pool today."  
Martin smiled, he turned to his partner, he put his hand on Benedict's back, stretched slightly up, breathed him a kiss on the cheek and sank down to the feet again.  
They waited until all their bags were on the trolley; Martin had missed one of the bags and so they have waited another round, until Martil pulled the bag from the carousel, and put it on the trolley.  
Benedict pushed the trolley through the arrival hall, to a car rental, where they rented a car for the next two weeks.

Together they loaded their luggage into the car; Martin closes the trunk, then went to the passenger door, Benedict followed him.  
"I thought I should drive?" Benedict said.  
Martin turned to Ben, has the hand on the door handle.  
"Yes. You're on the wrong side, darling - we are in Italy and not in England." He grinned broadly. "Should I rather drive, before you forget, that here is right-hand traffic?" He still grinned.  
Benedict looked at him, briefly into the car, and then back to Martin, he chuckled now.  
"I drove too much in England and Wales in the last weeks and months." He said, while he went to the other side and unlocked the car.  
Martin grinned as well, pulled the door open and got in.  
Benedict sat down, put the key in the key hole and started the car. He saw Martin from the corner of the eye. His partner wore sun glasses now, the light blue shirt hung loosely on his upper body, the first buttons were open.  
"So, love, again as a reminder, you have to drive on the right side." Martin formally informed Benedict, how to drive a car.  
"I know how to drive. I'm driving much longer than you." Ben grinned, and drove out of the parking lot."  
"Longer, don't have to mean better." Martin grinned.  
"Shut up, you cheeky little Hobbit, otherwise you're driving the remaining holiday." Ben teased.  
"No, no. No way, I like it more, when somebody is driving me." Martin grinned.  
"Am I now your personal chauffeur?"  
"Yeah, my personal chauffeur, entertainer, masseur, general assistant, butler... toy boy. " Martin laughed with Benedict. "No, just kidding, sweetheart." His eyes looked to Ben softly, a hand lay on Ben's thigh. "Let's drive to the house, the woman, who gives us the keys is waiting for us and then we can go for some groceries."  
"It is unbelievable what a shitty nonsense sometimes comes out of you." Benedict still grinned, and then he nodded.

 

Ben drove to the house and parked in the driveway.  
The woman, who wanted to give them the keys, was already waiting for them. They spoke with each other; the woman showed them the house, as well as the garden, told them a few good restaurants in Positano and some destinations in the surrounding area. In addition, she had placed a few travel guides from the neighbarhood. Martin had asked her for a supermarket, and then she has left.  
Benedict and Martin had brought their luggage into the house; they had been to the supermarket and had bought a few things for breakfast and lunch, as well as a few beverages.  
Now, they were both in the kitchen, and put away the groceries.

The house had two levels; downstars was the living and sleeping area, as well as a toilet - from the living room, you could directly go on the first terrace, on which stood a large wooden table with matching chairs. A staircase led down to the second terrace and the garden; with another table, a hammock, lounge chairs and sofas, as well as a swimming pool with sunloungers. The sea view was fantastic, you also could see Positano in all its glory.  
On the second floor was only the kitchen, with a balcony, and the bathroom.

Martin grabbed the last milk and put it into the fridge; Benedict stood on the balcony, looking out to the sea.  
Martin came to him, put his arms around him, kissed him between the shoulder blades. Benedict sighed, and laid a hand on Martin's arms.  
"Now the holiday can start properly!" Martin muttered.  
"Hmh, finally. It's great here, the house is lovely and the garden, too."  
"Yes, the view is also gorgeous.“  
"You're right. I would love to go to the pool now. Are you coming with me?" Ben asked.  
Martin smiled up and nodded, he broke slowly apart.

The couple went down to the sleeping area, they searched for their swim shorts and changed into them.  
A piece of clothing after another fell on both sides of the bed to the floor, until they were naked, and Martin put on his black and Benedict his blue shorts. They took towels with them, left the House and walked down the stairs to the pool.  
They threw their towels on the sunloungers; Martin, who was still wearing his sunglasses, put them down on his towel.

Benedict went to the pool, cooling off was exactly the right thing right now.  
The sun shone from a cloudless sky, there was absolutely no wind, his iPhone had meant earlier, it would be 35° degrees.  
He walked down the stone stairs, which led into the pool, he felt more cold water on his legs with every step he took. He sighed with pleasure, walked further and dove for a few seconds. Above the surface again, he ran his hand across his face, and through his hair.  
Martin came to the pool.  
Ben turned in his direction, beamed at Martin and scanned him.  
His grey hair was still on the new Watson-lenght, one could hardly see a stubble. His body was still quite pale, the colour, which he had got in Puerto, at least on the face and arms, was almost gone. The black shorts suit him well. Benedict came a bt closer.

Martin walked into to pool, dove a few seconds, and ran his hand through his hair and his face, before he joined Benedict.  
Ben put the arms around him, pulled him closer, placed a small kiss on Martin's temple.  
Martin sighed, closed his eyes, put his arms around Benedict and snuggled against him. His left hand gently caressed Ben's bare back up to the neck and into the wet hair. He pressed Ben's head down, beamed at him again and locked their lips gently with each other.  
Benedict put his hands on Martin's butt, squeezed him softly during the kissing.  
A sigh escaped Martin; his free hand ran up Benedict's side, to the cheek, and Martin's thumb caressed back and forth.  
Benedict bit Martin's lower lip gently, sucked briefly, let them free, and kissed him lovingly again.  
Martin purred into the kiss, tugged at Benedict's hair.  
Benedict's right hand disappeared in Martin's suit shorts, the other one stroked along the spine.

They broke their kiss.  
Martin cuddled his face into Benedict's neck, purred against his carotid artery - and kissed that point a few times. His arms hugged Ben tightly.  
"Hmh, Benny... " He muttered against Ben's neck, gave him a new kiss. "... the next two weeks will be awesome. " He breathed him a new kiss on the neck.  
Benedict had closed his eyes, had bent his neck, to give Martin more space for his kisses - and Martin took the invitation happily.  
He gave Ben small soft kisses on his long neck, up to his ear. His teeth nibbled on Benedict's earlobe, who moaned.  
"Martin." He squeezed Martin's butt.  
Martin kissed his ear again, before he broke apart.  
Benedict opened his eyes again, stroked Martin's hair with one hand, and with the other softly his butt.  
Martin smiled up, winked gently, pressed him a kiss on the collarbone and then dissipated. He dropped back into the water, enjoying the cold water, and the sun, which burned down from the sky.

Benedict and Martin swam through pool until Benedict got out and sat on the edge of the pool; he let his legs dangle in the water. He had turned his head around, and looked through the fence to the sea, which seemed endless. The Sun made the water sparkle.  
He hoped the holiday wouldn't be end too quickly; it was beautiful here, and what they had seen so far on the Internet from Positano, seemed to be fantastic. The two weeks here would be incredibly relaxing and at the same time incredibly exciting and eventful with Martin. He enjoyed the relationship with him to the fullest; they had shared so many things for the first time in the last eight months with each other. Their first kiss, their first sex, they had shared a bed for the for the first time, a shower, a Christmas feast, and a New Year's Eve party, a big silly fight, and now their first holiday.  
Martin had paid it - the house for two weeks, the flights. The holiday in Italy, was his birthday present.

He turned his head back towards the pool, he felt Martin's hands on his knees. His eyes searched Martin's. Blue eyes sparkled up to him, the hair dripped, water dripped from the chin, the hands ran his thighs gently upwards.  
Benedict smiled to him, his eyes beamed greenish down to his partner, he lifted the hand, stroked through the grey hair.  
"Hey." Martin muttered with a warm voice.  
"Hey, honey." Benedict mumbled with a deep voice.  
Martin smiled, folded his arms on Benedict's lap and laid his head down.  
Benedict's hand ran across Martin's neck.  
"I'm in the hammock, yeah?"  
"Hmh, I'm with you in a tick." Martin smiled.  
Benedict smiled, scrambled up slowly, and made his way to the hammock, which hung in the shadow next to the pool.

Martin stayed in te pool for awhile; then he ot out, grabbed his sun glasses from the sunlounger, put them on, and came to Benedict, who relaxed in the hammock.  
Ben lay on his back, arms crossed behind his head. His eyes were open. He made some space for Martin, who crawled onto the hammock, laid down on the back.  
Benedict turned to the side, cuddled his head on Martins shoulder, and laid his hand on Martin's wet tummy.

Benedict scratched gently Martin's tummy with his fingertips.  
Martin had closed hi eyes; goose bumps were all over his body, the stomaach tingled. He purred as he felt Benedict's lips on the skin between the neck and collarbone. He stretched his neck slightly, offered him more space, for his soft lips.  
Benedict's tongue licked a wet trace on the already wet skin of Martin. He licked slowly up to the Adam's Apple, breathed a kiss on it and enjoyed the vibrating, which he could feel duing Martin's moaning.  
"Benny... that's beautiful.", Martin whispered with closed eyes.  
The tongue was licking their way across Martin's neck - slow and wet, up to his ear. His teeth bit the earlobe, before the tongue once licked over his ear. Martin shivered with relish.  
"Ben!" He groaned roughly.  
Benedict's hand on Martin's belly stroked gently up to its chest; the thumb teased the right nipple.  
Martin purred and sighed and shiverd; lips against his ear, who kissed him; the tongue, which gently licked across his ear or his neck; the teeth, which nibbled along his neck to his ear, then again across his earlobe to kiss him afterwards gently; and the hand, which ran over his bare chest and tummy and nipples, made him crazy.  
He didn't know on what he should focus.  
His heart was racing, the stomach tingled, and he shivered again and again; he had goose bumps all over his body and his mind was almost completely shut down.  
He purred, sighed and moaned again, as the thumb teased over his left nipple.  
He swallowed hard as the hand stroked futher down.  
"What are you doing?" He muttered hoarsely.  
"Something for you... something to enjoy." Benedict's deep voice groaned.  
Martin's head was pressed into the hammock, his mouth hung open; he was aroused - and Benedict's deep voice, which he loved so much, his lips breathing over his ear, let him get even harder.

"Ooooh. Fuck!" He groaned hoarsely, when he felt Benedict's hand in his shorts.  
The hand stroked over his throbbing erection and the fingers teased his balls.  
He pressed the head more into the mattress, scratched with his finger across Benedict's spine - with the other hand he clawed the hammock. He pushed his hips upwards, wanted to feel more of Benedict's hand and fingers.  
"Benny." Martin sighed eagerly, when Ben's hand disappeard.  
Lips sucked on his neck, let him purr; his attention stayed at Benedict's lips; he sucked and kissed, bit and licked - and then sucked again. It was just too good.  
"Ben!" He groaned loudly, when he could feel Benedict's long and soft, talented fingers aorund his twitching erection.  
His eyes fluttered shut.  
Ben's hand stoked slightly up and down, broke away again, the index finger circled agonizingly slowly, just breathingly over Martins tip, along the veins, down to the balls and his thighs.  
Martin groaned, purred, tried to move his hips to feel more, but his partner played this agonizingly slow game with his index finger.

Benedict's lips had distraced him, he hadn't even noticed that Ben had pushed down his suit shorts to his knees. His legs were shaking; he pressed the head more into the mattress, one hand still clawed the hammock, the other one tugged at Ben's hair.  
"Ben, please... more." He moaned lustfully.  
He didn't get more than a little bit more pressure with Ben's index finger.  
"God. Fuck. Benny! More... more finger, your hand..." Martin begged hoarsely.  
Benedict's lips were kissing his neck along to his ear, his tongue licked it, what strengthened Marins tugging in Benedict's hair. Ben stroked his balls teasingly; he slowly, breathed with two fingers along Martin's throbbing and leaking cock; the thumb spread the precum.  
"More. Please. Ben." He plead and begged; when he felt Benedict's crawling fingers on his balls.  
"You have to be more accurate, Martin." Ben whispered with a deep lust linger voice in Martin's ear.  
He breathed a kiss on it, lifted his head, looked to Martin, who was lying in the hammock with an open mouth and a stretched, so Benedict has more space to distribute kisses, to bite, nibble, suck, and lick. One couldn't see the eyes through the sun glasses, but presumably they were screwed together with pure pleasure.  
His legs had kicked the shorts further down, and now he lay with legs spread open as much as possible in the hammock - incredibly aroused; the precum dribbled down his hard, throbing cock.

"Do you think, I can give you detailed instructions in this state?... Come on, Benny! You know exactly what I want." He whispered hoarsely back. He nearly took himself in hand.  
Again, just two fingers, slowly, teasingly.  
Benedict's lips on his, a fiery kiss, a bite in his lower lip.  
Martin moaned.  
"For fuck's sake. Give me a proper handjob! More pressure! Faster! Harder! " It was much more begging than an order.  
"Apparently you seem to be able to give begging and pleading instructions." Benedict whispered, and cupped Martins thick and hard erection.

Martin moaned in relief.  
Benedict's hand stoked up and down with a lot of pressure, he scratched at Martin's balls, stroked up again, let his thumb rub over the sensitive skin at the tip of his cock.  
Martin turned his head to the side, moaned indignantly, turned off everything in his head; his hips joined Ben's hand with the same rhythm.  
Faster and faster again, and slower, and faster again.  
His whole body tingled, he panted, sweated.  
Ben kissed his heated skin.  
Martin could feel the orgasm rolling through his body, he wanted to let go.  
"Peferct... keep going... almost, almost..." He moaned with pure pleasure and relish.  
He needed just one more stroke, a stroke with pressure downwards to his balls, a soft squeeze, upwards with pressure, a rub over his leaking tip.

He got none of this.  
Benedict broke apart; Martins eyes fluttered open immediately, he gasped and panted, turned his head to Benedict; he was unable to say anything.  
Damn it, he had been so close.  
Benedict raised his eyebrow with a smile; he pushed his shorts down, slid between Martin's legs.  
And the he rubbed his own erection agains Martin's.  
Both men groaned; Ben wrapped an arm around Martin, and Martin wrapped his legs around Ben's waist.

Benedict rubbed their erections together; groaned, enjoyed Martin's hot skin.  
The hammock rocked threateningly, but the two men searched for more intense friction.  
"So good. Fuck, it's so good. " Martin whispered hoarsely, scratched to Benedict's butt, and pressed him even closer.  
"Martin. Oh God. Martin. " Ben moaned, eyes closed.  
They gasped, panted and groaned; rubbed their erections faster, harder and with more pressure together.  
Martin couldn't hold back any longer, he let go, came between their bodies, with a long and loud moaned: Benedict. He pinched his butt, scratched his back upwards with the other hand, tugged at his hair.  
Benedict followed him shortly afterwards - with Martin's name on his lips - the voice was full of lust and pleasure.  
His body sagged on Martin; the hammock, still wobbled, but calmed down slowly.

 

Benedict was lying on Martin; they were both sweaty, breathing quickly.  
Benedict snuggled close to his partner, closed his eyes.  
"I wanted to relax on my holidays and you push me into high-performance sport." Martin said with a relaxed smile.  
Benedict smiled softly."  
"Now you can relax, I'm done with you for the moment, sweetheart." He said teasingly; breathed him a soft and tender kiss on the chest.


	62. The beach

[https://janavi02.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/vettica-campania-italy_canyon-of-furore-positano-amalfi-coast-italy-randyrbrophy.jpg?w=700 ](https://janavi02.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/vettica-campania-italy_canyon-of-furore-positano-amalfi-coast-italy-randyrbrophy.jpg?w=700%20)

 

 

They spent the rest of the first holiday day in the hammock and at the pool.  
In the evening they had been in Positano for some dinner; in a nice looking restaurant, in one of the narrow alleys of the little Italian ctiy. After their dinner they had been strolled back to the house and had enjoyed a last glass of wine on the terrace.

 

Benedict lay on his side next to Martin; he was awake since a while and watched his sleeping boyfriend.  
Martin lay also on his side; he faced Benedict, he was wearing only boxer briefs and the blanket just covered a bit of his legs. The hair was tousled, he had a three-day beard and his face muscles were totally relaxed.  
Benedict smiled to his partner, scanned every centimeter of Martin's body. He raised his hand, stroked with his fore finger along Martin's arm; slowly down to his hand, then gently back up to his collarbone. He took a second finger, repeated what he had done with one finger. The third finger followed, then the fourth, and in the end the thumb. With all fingers, he crawled lovingly over Martin's arm, from the shoulder to the fingertips and then back again.

Martin had felt dull the stroking from the third finger, was woken up more, when Benedict had crawled him with four fingers - his eyes opened tiredly.  
Benedict ran his fingers upwards again. He looked to Martin, when he opened his eyes, his gaze lay soft on Martin, his eyes beamed more blue, as green today.  
Martin smiled wearily, closed his eyes again, sighed by Benedict's caresses; goose bumps spread all over his body, his eyes fluttered open again. His gaze rested on Ben, he sank into his eyes, smiled loving.  
Benedict continued withh his crawling fingers across Martin's arm, he smiled.

Both men were lying on the same pillow, remained silent.  
The sun was shining through the large open window. A light wind blew through the curtains.  
"Hhmm, Benny" Martin muttered, and slid closer to his partner.  
He pressed his face against Ben's chest, kissed him softly.  
'Morning, sweetheart. Slept well? " Benedict smiled.  
"Morning, love." Martin muttered into Ben's chest. "I slept very well, and you?" He asked, and raised his head again.  
"Yup, slept well." Ben breathed a kiss on Martin's hair.  
"Beach day today and a bit of strolling through the?" Martin muttered blearily.  
"Yes, but let us drive this time, the beach and the city centre are too far away for a walk."  
"Hmh, yesterday was okay, but the beach his a bit too far away." Martin smiled. He rubbed oer his sleepy eyes.  
"Then let's have a shower and breakfast, and then we can pack up our stuff for the beach." Ben breathed him a kiss on the forehead.  
Martin nodded, turned on his back, then on the other side. He slipped back close to Ben, cuddle up to his belly. Benedict smiled, put an arm around Martin, pressed a kiss on the back of his head, and cuddled with him.  
After another twenty minutes of just silently cuddling, they stood up, went to the shower and got dressed.  
They made breakfast, put everything they needed on a tray; and while Benedict made tea and coffee, Martin took the tray and went outdoors. Benedict followed him with a cup of tea and a cup of coffee.  
They ate breakfast, were thinking about the day - whether they go to the city and then to the beach or whether they go to the beach and then to the city. Ultimately, they decided for the third variant - at first to the beach, then lunch in the city and a stroll through the streets, then again to the beach again, back to the ouse, changing and to the city again for a nce dinner.

While Martin cleaned up the breakfast, Benedict packed the bag for the beach - their sunglasses, two towels, a larger blanket, the sunlotion and two bottles of water. He stowed the bag in the car, when Martin came out.  
Benedict drove to the beach.  
When Martin got out, he took the packed bag for the beach and waited for Ben. He took his big hand into his small one, and walked with him over the warm sand, searching for a nice, free space.  
The beach wasn't very large, was surrounded by large rocks, which were planted; the water shimmered turquoise in the sunlight. Some people were already at the beach - families couples, older people, some children were in the water.

Martin put the bag down and took the blanket, which he laid on the warm, soft sand, while Ben pulled out the towels.  
When the blanket was spread out, Benedict slipped out of his flip flops and pulled his T-Shirt over his head.  
Martin unbuttoned the loose shirt and dropped it to Benedict's T-Shirt on the blanket.  
"Who is first one in the water?" Ben grinned.  
"what's the price?" Martin smiled.  
"Hmh, the loser pays the dinner?" Benedict shrugged with a grin.  
"As if it would matter, which one of us is paying..." Martin grinned.  
"Actually, there is no price in this game, just..." Ben laughed, but ended his babbling, as Martin just ran off to the water. " Eeeyy!'  
Martin laughed during his running, jumped over the ball, which rolled in his path and ran into the water. He punched the air with a triumphant grin.  
"First one!"  
Benedict stopped next to Martin, laughed and shook his head.  
"This is not true actually, that was a false start!“  
"Nope, actually, one need to run, after one had said, 'Who is the first one in the water...'" Martin laughed, and showed him his tongue.

Benedict laughed, he jumped on Martin, and pushed him under the water.  
Martin swallowed a large amount of water, defended himself under water; he surfaced again - coughing. He rubbed his his eyes, ran his hand through his hair, coughed again and laughed with Ben. He jumped on him, fought with him. He hung on Benedict, tried to push him down, but his partner made himself very stabile, almost like a rock in the sea.  
Martin laughed, as well as Ben, who tried to get rid of Martin - but Martin was tough, he kept up, although Benedict began to pinch him. he fought with Benedict, hung on his back, his arms were wrapped around Benedict's neck- they both laughed, and then Martin, bit him into the shoulder.  
Benedict lurched through the water, wanted to et rid of Martin, but the small fellow clung on him as if his life would depend on it. Benedict laughed a well as Martin, whose rib cage vibrated.  
The only chance he had was to distract Benedict, he pondered - then abruptly, he released Benedict and sank from his back into the water again.  
Benedict turned around with a big grin  
"Are you giving up, little princess?" Ben laughed.  
"You wish!" Martin grinned. He grabbed Benedict's swim shorts and dragged them down, his eyebrow was raised with a grin.  
"Martin!" Ben laughed, and grabbed his shorts to pull them up.  
Martin took advantage of the moment and pressed him with his last ounce of strength under water.

Martin laughed, he was out of breath; like Ben, when he showed up again.  
They looked at each other and grinned, breathed hard and took a few deep breathes until their lungs were filled again.  
"Actually, I should have take away your shorts, my friend. Little princess!? You would have needed to go back to the blanket... naked." Martin chuckled  
"You wouldn't have dared." Benedict grinned.  
"Don't test me." He chuckled. "Do you want to swim a bit?" Martin asked and smiled.  
Benedict still grinned and nodded then slowly smiling.

They swam for awhile, and when they stopped, Benedict could still stand with his head above the surface.  
Martin couldn't stand like that; his nose would be under the surface, and he wouldn't be able to breath. He smiled up, put his arms around Benedict's neck and wrapped his legs around his hips.  
Benedict put his arms under Martin's butt, held him gently, and smiled at him.  
"Hey." He mumbled with his deep voice.  
"Hey." Martin said with his warm, loving voice.  
He beamed at Ben; he laid a hand on the back of Ben's head and cupped his lips. He kissed him lovingly with three small kisses, and he murmured against Benedict's lips.  
"I love you."  
Ben smiled, he kissed Martin's lips again, gave him a short, gentle kiss, rubbed his nose; his eyes sparkled.  
"I love you Martin."  
Ben leand his forehead against Martin's, who smiled, closed his eyes, and enjoyed the closeness to Benedict, the sun, the sea, the cheerful children's laughter from some distance.  
Benedict held him, pressed Martin little kisses on the nose.  
"I go back to the blanket. Are you coming with me?" Martin muttered softly, and opened his eyes again.  
"I swim a little bit and join you later." He breathed his partner a kiss on the cheek.  
Martin smiled and nodded, he broke apart, and swam back to the beach.  
He got out, walked to the blanket, took one of the towels, rubbed over his hair and his body, before he sat down on the blanket.

 

He was lying on his belly, fished his sunglasses with one hand out of the bag and put them on. He folded his arms and laid his cheek on them. The sun warmed him up, his skin dried and his dark shorts as well. He enjoyed the cool wind, which occasionally roamed over his back; the warmth of the sun; and the noise.  
Swishing waves, rustling leaves, singing birds, here and there a horn. He couldn't understand the most conversations, most of it wasn't English.  
The older couple next to them, he guessed were from Italy, at least some of the words sounded like that.  
The family in front of them had to be from Germany.  
And the mother who screamed after her son, that he should stop to throw sand in his brothers face, or they would go straigth back to the hotel without any icecream - had to be from the UK. It had been the only that he had understood properly; apart from the German word 'Entschuldigung", and the older man next to him, had said 'Gelato' - ice cream.  
Ice cream. He loved ice cream, and if there was someone who loved ice cream even more - than it was Benedict.

He turned to the side, faced the older couple,he was supported on his elbow.  
The woman already smiled friendly to him, she had to be old as his own and Benedicts parents; Martin smiled back.  
"Excuse me. Do you speak English?" He asked kindly.  
The man smiled.  
"Si... a bit."  
They talked with each other, in English and with the few Italian words, which Martin understood, with hands and feet. Martin had wanted to know, where they could eat the best ice cream in Positano. The man had told him that, and than he had told him a few nice restaurants, and when Martin mentioned, that his partner had birthday the next day, the elderly woman told him a nice restaurant with excellent fish, pasta and pizza, as well as an excellent atmosphere and view.

When he laid on the belly, he the Britsh mother ran up the beach angrily, with her husband and their two children. The man was carrying the bags, the mother had packed a boy at the elbow, dragged him with her. The boy had to be six years old, he cried, struggled with hands and feet. His seemingly older brother, stomped furiously beside him, had crossed his in front of his chest, he was in rage.  
Martin closed his eyes again, knew that this was the mother, who had scream earlier, that her youngest boy should stop to throw sand. Apparently, he had not taken it seriously.  
Something wet dripped on his dry warm back, he winced briefly, then he felt the wet heavy body on him.  
Benedict lay on his back, hands on his arms and placed a kiss on his naked shoulder.  
"Uffmph." Martingasped, when Benedict put his whole weight on him.  
He cuddle the face in the area between the ear and neck, distributed soft kisses on it.  
"I'm back." Ben smiled.  
"Obviously. There is something wet and heavy on my back." Martin smirked.  
"Too heavy?" Ben muttered.  
"No, fine. Alright, honey. " Martin smiled.  
"Good. You're warm and cozy."  
Benedict rubbed his nose across Martin's neck, then breath his smell, sighed and placed a kiss on Martin's temple.  
Martin smiled amorously.  
Benedict rubbed his nose further across Martins neck, into the hair; he kissed his temple, his ear, his neck, his cheek; cuddled with him.  
They had never shared so many intimacies in public; of course, they had been walking around arm in arm, or hand in hand; also they had shared a short kiss, or a soft hug. In the city or in a restaurant, even on a premiere, Martin didn't feel the urge to cuddle around or to snog his partner - just holding hands, that was enough. But now they were on vacation, at the beach and it he didn't give a shit if anyone saw them cuddle and snogging.  
Neither of them wanted to hold back.  
At the end of the day, they were just a normal couple, and they loved each other.

The older couple next to them stood up, they packed their things and smiled down to Martin and Benedict.  
"Have a nice vacanza, Martin" The man smiled.  
Martin looked up, raised his hand in greeting.  
"Thank you very much. Have a nice day." He smiled kindly.  
The man and his wife smiled.  
"Grazie."

Benedict had briefly turned his head, had also smiled and nodded; he looked after them, when they walked up the beach.  
"Did they know us, or why knew the man your name?" He asked.  
Ben rolled off of Martin, laid down on the side and looked to Martin, who also turned around and smiled at Benedict; his fingers breathed across Ben's flat stomach.  
"I don't know if they know who we are. I had spoken earlier with them, and we had a little smalltalk. His name is Gio and her name is Maria, they live here." He smiled.  
"I can hardly let you alone for a few minutes - and you get to know half of the people of Positano." Ben smirked.  
Martin grinned, he breathed his finger across Benedict's naked, damp upper body.  
"The man had said icecream and so Ihave asked him, where we can get the best ice cream in Positano. And then we have talked a little bit."  
"Ohh, ice cream. Good move, Martin. Where is the ice cream?"  
"Slowly... " Martin slid closer, put his hand on Benedict's chest and kissed his lips gently. "I'm hungry, let us search a restaurant."  
"And then we go for some ice cream?" Ben asked happily, and ran his hand through Martin's hair.  
"When it comes to ice cream you're like a little child." Martin grinned, and nodded. "Yes, when we have eaten properly, we go through the city and eat some ice cream."  
"Theoretically I could just eat ice cream, for breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, dessert, snack, dinner, snack." Benedict grinned.  
"I know, that's probably your biggest passion after motorcycles, adventures and your profession."  
"It is possible, that the ice cream comes even before all that." He laughed.

Martin ran through his hair with a warm laugh, pressed a kiss on it and sat up. He looked down to Benedict, smiled broadly.  
"You could put a small ice cream cart on your motorcycle, dress up as Sherlock, or what else you would like and sell ice cream, then you've got your greatest passions all at once."  
"But then I have to disappoint all the children and make them cry, because I ate all the ice cream alone."  
"I don't think so. You wouldn't do that, you really love children, you wouldn't eat the whole ice cream." Martin smiled gently, and ran his hand trhough Ben's hair again. "Come on, honey, let's pack.“  
He stood up, leaned down to Benedict again and kissed his soft hair.


	63. Ice Cream

Benedict and Martin packed their things together and brought the bag to the car, before they strolled to the city.  
Their fingers were entwined and Benedict caressed Martin's back of the hand with his thumb.  
The narrow streets were full of little houses and many steps, which were leadig upstairs and downstairs. The shops were equipped colourful with flowers, clothes, jewelry, food, decorations, souvenirs. In the middle of these little shops, were numerous small restaurants, cafés and bars. The city was decorated with many flowers, trees, vines - everything bloomed.  
In one of the narrow alleyways, they had eaten lunch in the sunshine - both a pizza with a glass of wine and a glass of water.

Benedict already felt totally relaxed, even so, that this was just their second day. But this holiday with Martin was so different.  
In his previous relationships, they always had strolled around the whole day - sightseeing the whole day, running through the streets and shops; the time they had spent on the beach or at the pool hadn't been long.  
This kind of holiday with Martin was pleasant.  
Yesterday, they hadn't done anything, apart from shopping groceries. The rest of the day they had spent at the pool and in a nice restaurant to have dinner. This morning they had have a sleep in, had eaten breakfast and the rest of the morning and the mid-day they had spent at the beach. He felt absolutely comfortable, and the lovely lunch with Martin had been great.  
At the moment they were just strolling through the city.  
Until now, they hadn't even planned any trips.

Martin was holding Benedict's hand, strolled with him through the little alleyways; they had looked for some postcards, but hadn't bought any of them yet. They strolled with a slow and relaxed pace through the city, hand in hand, up stairs and down stairs, looked at shops, and looked into some of these shops. They had been in a shop with different kinds of spices and antipasti and a lot of other tasty food; the shopkeeper had been totally excited, had let them try some of the spices and antipasti for free, and he had told them something about the spices, about the environment, about his town. At the end they hadn't bought anything, but they had promised to come back later after they would have had dinner.

At the moment they stood in the queue of ice-cream shop. It was obviously a very popular ice cream shop, the queue seemed to have no end.  
Benedict stood behind Martin, his arms hugged him around his neck; he kisses his hair and rubbed his nose through the grey and dark blonde strands. Martin smiled widely, put a hand on Benedict's arm.  
"This guy from the shop will sell us the half of his shop later.", Benedict grinned.  
"Probably, but it was pretty tasty." Martin smirked.  
"That's right. It's good that the shop is open that long, so we can drink the coffee he had offered us, after our dinner tonight."  
"Yes. I'm sure the coffee is as delicious as all the other stuff we've tested.“  
Martin's fingertips ran across Benedict's arms; he felt a kiss on his hair again and closed his eyes briefly.  
"It's great to be here with you, Martin." Ben whispered into Martin's ear.  
"I enjoy it too. Very much, Benny." Martin muttered gently, and rubbed across Ben's arm.  
They ordered their ice-cream when it was their turn.  
All the different flavours looked more than tasty; Benedict could hardly decide and also Martin struggled with his decision.  
In the end Martin had taken Pistachio and Tiramisu; while Benedict had taken three scoops - dark chocolate, after eight, and mango.  
And it was true, he could only eat ice cream the whole day, the whole week, the whole month and year, and his whole life.  
If he wouldn't be such a decent man, he probably would order more scoops, no matter whether he would feel sick afterwards.

A few meters away stood a little bench under some trees, they sat down with their little mug of icecream, and tried it with their spoons.  
"Mmmhh... could you bring fresh clothes here every day? I will sit here the rest of our vacation." Ben sighed.  
"Now way, sweetheart. I don't want to spend my holiday in front of an ice-cream shop, and I won't take care of you, if you have stomachaches, just because you're stuffing ice-cream into you the whole day." Martin smirked through his sunglasses.  
"I don't know whether I agree with this." Benedict grinned, and licked the ice-cream from his spoon.  
"That's nothing to discuss." Martin grinned, and spooned his ice-cream."  
"Why can't we stay here?" Benedict asked.

Martin's mobile phone vibrated in his dark shorts; he had taken it with him after they had been at the car.  
"Because I won't sleep on a wooden bench, Benedict! And it's unhealthy to eat ice cream all day. Probably you will be too heavy for the airplane in two weeks. And I didn't fly on holiday with you, to sit in front of an ice-cream shop for two weeks. I would here love to relax on the beach with you, make a couple of trips, have some nice dinners with you. ANd not to forget, we couldn't have sex on this bench. It's not allowed, and I don't want to end up in an Italian jail, or on a frontpage of the Daily Mail or another trashy newspaper, just because Benedict Cumberbatch is obsessed with ice-cream and need to fuck his boyfriend in public. So forget it, Benny. " Martin grinned, and pulled his mobile phone out of the pocket of his shorts.  
"With the sex you've convinced me." Benedict grinned while eating his ice-cream. "Wouldn't I be able to fly back home, I could just stay here and eat more of this delicious ice-cream, so that wouldn't be a punishment." He chuckled.  
Martin opened the message and grinned again to Benedict.  
"But for me. I would love to have you in London or at my place in Potters Bar. Enjoy your ice cream, love." He winked lovingly. "Simon has written by the way."

_"Hello lazy holidaymakers. Are you guys already sunburned? I hope it's as good as expected. Send a few nice pictures, so I can sulk in London about the good weather in Italy."_ \- Simon

Martin and Benedict read it together; Martin put his ice cream waffle cup on the bench next to him, to take a Selfie with Ben.  
They smiled through their sunglasses; Martin's temple lay on Benedict's cheek; they both were unshaven; and one could also see Benedict's ice cream; in the background one could see a flower shop. The sun was shining.  
He sent it to Simon with a message.

_"We aren't sunburned yet, and it's much better than expected. The weather is awesome and my better half has discovered the ice cream shop, maybe we come never back again ;-)."_ \- Martin

_":-D, I don't care. :-D. May I have your record collection and maybe your books as well, and the books from Benedict, too? And I will look for some good successor for Sherlock and Watson. What have you planned for tomorrow? Plastic surgery for Ben? ;-)."_ \- Simon

Benedict laughed when he read it.  
"He has divided our whole belongings, before we go into the exile."  
Martin grinned too.  
He took his ice-cream, spooned it and wondered what he could answer Simon.  
He needed to lie to him, there wasn't another choice. Benedict read with him and he had not the slightest clue what their would do tomorrow. Before their holiday, Martin had asked him a couple of times, what he would love to do at his birthday, but he had been as modest and grounded as always. He hadn't expressed an explicit wish, had just said that it wouldn't matter to him, as long as he would be with him. Martin had thought about a few things; he wanted to spend Ben's 40th birthday not like every other day in the year, and so he had planned a special day; he had adapted it to the birthday present, which he had in addition to the holiday.  
He took his mobile phone back in his hand and typed.

_"You can have the record collection and books ;-). Plastic surgery won't be necessary; I' ve searched me man without wrinkles. We haven't planned something for tomorrow. We will just enjoy our holiday and pretend, that there isn't a 4 at the beginning of Ben's age. :-D"_ \- Martin

_"Perfect, where is your key? I'm on my way to clear out your house. :-D. And at some point he will have wrinkles - deep, deep furrows: D. Enjoy the day tomorrow, especially Ben. Be lovely and charming to the pretty brithday boy. I will give you a shout in the next days, and I would love to see more holiday photos. I think Ben reads with you, or you read it out - lovely greetings to him, also by Maureen and Matilda, who send you two a kiss. :-* :-* :-* :-* (the thrid and fourth one are from me: D - Behave yourselves)"_ \- Simon

Martin grinned to Benedict.  
"I always wanted to have a kiss from him." He laughed, and made Ben laugh, too.

_"Greetings from Ben, and hug your little princess from the two of us and gave her a kiss as well. If you want to have a kiss from us that badly, feel kissed :-D."_ \- Martin

He put the phone back into his shorts pocket, and eat the rest of his ice cream.  
Benedict munched on his waffle, put his free arm lay aorund Martin's shoulder; he gently pushed him closer.  
"I hope, I will have a chance to be loved by you, even if I'm 80 years and have deep furrows."  
"I mean you have good genes, but you will have definitely wrinkles before you turn eighty. But to calm you down - I will love you with wrinkles, with grey hair, a tummy and cane." He smirked tenderly, and kissed Benedict's stubbly cheek.  
"First the wrinkles,... about the grey hair, we will talk in 20 years time, honey." Benedict smirked and winked.  
"At this place?" Martin smiled.  
"At this place!" Benedict smiled lovingly.


	64. A very lovely Happy Birthday

The couple on the way back to the house.  
Benedict's arm was wrapped around Martin's shoulder; Martin's arm was wrapped around Benedict's back. They had both a bag from the Spice shop in theri freehand, where they already had been afternoon.  
It was already quite dark. Justthe street lights and the lights from the city led them their way.  
This afternoon, they had been on the beach again, they had been swimming and then they were driven back to the house. They had showered, had dressed for some dinner and had walked back to the city for almost forty minutes. They had strolled to the restaurant that they already had chosen in the afternoon for tonight. They had been sitting on the terrace and had enjoyed the magnificent view over the sea. Martin had eaten pasta, while Benedict had ordered fish, and after that they had ordered a dessert and some wine They had ended their night trip to Positano with a visit in the Spice shop and had enjoeyed a cup of coffee. The man had introduced himseld as Mario and had equipped them with tasty stuff from his shop. At the end he had given them a red wine for free, with the comment that would like it, ifthey would visit him again for a little chat or some coffee. He was able to speak English pretty good, because his son-in-law came from England too. The information of Martin's and Benedict's profession hadn't impressed him very much, he had just stated that it was great that they were able to do something they really loved. 

"We really need to go to Mario again, at least to say goodbye." Benedict said, smiled and pressed Martin closer.  
"Absolutely. We could buy a few things for us or for our parents."  
"Thats a good idea."  
"Hmm." He smiled. Martin sighed when he saw the house. "Finally. I'm exhausted from that long stroll."  
"my feet are dying as well." Ben smiled, broke apart and fumbled the key out of his pocket.  
Martin looked at his watch, it was only a few minutes until midnight. He looked up to Benedict and smiled.  
"I would love to have some wine with you on the terrace before we go to bed, love."  
He went in with Benedict, who smiled at him and nodded. They brushed off their shoes.  
"Come on, give me the bag, I brig it into the kitchen and get us two glasses and then I'm right with you, honey." Martin said, got up on his tiptoes and gave Benedict a kiss on the cheek.  
"All right, I'm taking the wine." Ben said with a smile. He took the bootle outof the bag and handed the bag to Martin; he kissed his forehead softly. "See you."

Martin looked after him, smiled and went upstairs into the kitchen.  
He unpacked the bags, toook two glasses, the corkscrew and out of his own bag an envelope, which was a gift for Benedict.  
When he came down into the garden, Benedict sat on the lounge sofa with outstretched legs, his arms were crossed behind his head; he looked to the sea, the light wind was tousling through his hair.  
Martin came to him. He smiled lovingly, put the glasses and the envelope onto the table, and took the bottle of wine.  
"Lovely, isn't it?" The view " Benedict smiled to himself.  
Martin turned his head to him.  
"Yes, almost more beautiful than in daylight. Actually, I don't like to go to the same places every year, but here I would come back immediately."  
"I'm coming with you, Martin."

Martin smiled to him, opened the wine and poured it into the glasses.  
Benedict took the glass, which Martin handed him.  
Martin laid the envelope next to Benedict on the sofa, he beamed at him, took his glass, sat down slowly onto Ben's lap, put his right arm slightly around his neck, the hand rested on Benedict's neck, his thumb stroked back and forth. In the left hand, he held his wine glass, his eyes glowed warmly in the greenish blue eyes of his partner; he lifted the glass slightly.

"Happy birthday, Darling!" he said with a warm and loving voice.

Ben looked at him smiling, put an arm around Martin's hip, his heart was racing, he bowed his head.  
"Oh... is it already that late?" He asked.

"Yes, it is, honey." Martin nodded, he stroked with his thumb gently across Benedict's neck. "I wish you all the best for your fortieth birthday. I hope you can enjoy the day with me. It is incredibly great, I can spend this day with you this year. With you as my partner. I wish we would have been able to spend more of your birthdays with each other. Since we met, I wished we would have met earlier. Not because we are a couple now, just because you're a incredibly human being. You're really a fantastic colleague and an incredible lovely friend and you're an awesome boyfriend. You said, you would love to sit with me in front of this ice cream shop in 20 years, so we can talk about your grey hair. I hope we will talk about your big belly in front of this ice cream shop in 40 years. It's a shame that missed the first forty, well, thirty-nine birthdays. The next forty birthdays I will spent with you, love.",Hesaid with a fond smile.

Ben bowed his head, his eyes beamed, his heart was still racing; he enjoyed Martin's caresses with the thumb, and his honest and warm words.  
"Thank you Martin. I couldn't imagine where I could enjoy my brithday more than here with you. And I really look forward for my 60th and 80th birthday, to spend it with you, at this place. And I will give my best, so that you can't talk about my big belly in my 80th birthday." Ben chuckled and winked.  
Martin grinned too.  
They clinked glasses  
"To you, old man." Martin winked and made Ben laugh.  
They sipped at the wine.

Martin took both glasses, turned backwards an put the glasses down onto the coffee table. He turned back to Benedict cupped his face with his hands. He leaned down and kissed him tenderly.  
"I have something for you."  
"You? Nude? In the bed? " Benedict smiled with hoping eyes.  
"You can unwrap me later." Martin winked, breathed him a kiss on the lips and broke apart again.  
He took the envelope and handed him Benedict.  
"Martin! Whatever it is, it wouldn't have been necessary, the holiday was my gift."  
"Don't be ridiculous, Benedict. I just wanted to give you something on your birthday."  
"But the holiday is enough, sweetheart" He looked at the envelope, then again to Martin, his smile grew bigger. "But thank you for the second gift."  
Martin smiled, nodded, watching Benedict, who opened the envelope and pulled out the card.  
Benedict opened the card - a motorcycle was pictured on the front page, the card was elaborately decorated; he tilted his head and his eyes got big, beamed more and more.  
"Seriously, Martin?" He beamed like a little boy. "You have organized an off-road tour, with a skilled motocross racer?"  
Martin nodded and smiled.  
"Yes, the whole day. At first a few instructions, and then you have six hours to have fun."  
Benedict's eyes glowed with anticipation now, he put the envelope aside, took Martin's face in both hands.  
"Thank you, Martin. That's incredible. I can't express how happy I am" He beamed like mad..  
"Your eyes say enough." Martin beamed.  
Benedict luminous eyes were the best Thank You.

Benedict caressed with his thumbs across Martins cheek; he leaned forward, and kissed him lovingly and joyfully. Martin's hands ran into Benedicte hair, he parted his lips, welcomed Benedict's tongue with pleasure. They shared a soft and tender kiss, their tongues explored each other, as if it was the first time. Benedict's hands stroked to Martin's shoulders, down his back, while he deepened the kiss. Martin returned his kiss, let his hands ran wildly through Benedict's soft hair.  
They broke their kiss briefly, exchanged a few small kisses; Martin bit into Benedict's lower lip and sucked at it softly.  
They opened their eyes, looked at each other with swollen lips.  
Benedict's hair were a mess, he looked up to his partner, ran his hands down to Martins little tummy,a nd upwards again, to cup Martin's face again. He looked him deep in the eyes and breathed him a barely noticeable kiss on the lips.  
"I love you." He whispered with a deep voice.  
"I love you too, Ben." Martin murmured gently.

Benedict smiled, pulled Martin closer and kissed him hungrily - the kiss had lost every tenderness. He was passionate, longing, hungry.  
Their tongues fought a wild fight; Martin's hands tugged at Ben's hair, who was very busy to unbutton every button of Martins shirt.  
He ran his hand across Martin's heated skin, from the little tummy upwards to his chest.  
Martin groaned into the kiss. His ahnds wandered down to Benedict's shoulders, down to his hips; they wandered under the Polo Shirt and pushed it upwards. Ben lifted his arms, helped Martin to undress his Polo Shirt.  
He broke the kiss, distributed small kisses on Benedict's cheekbones, sucked on his ear, his neck, which let Benedict moan in pleasure.  
His partner titled the head back; Martin slipped ot of his shirt, and bit gently into the skin he had sucked at a minute ago. He licked his ear and kissed it softly.  
"Oh God, Martin. Let... let's stop. Something important is missing."  
Martin left off of his neck and ear; he sat down again, smiled down and he shook his head.  
"We didn't need to stop." He whispered and reached into his pants pocket  
He showed Ben the two small packets with lube..  
"Where did you get the from?" Ben muttered amazed.  
"Bought it, I knew we would probably not be able to make it to the bed sometimes, so I bought these small packets, It's better to hide in a trouser pocket, that a bottle." He raised his eyebrow.  
"Good that one of us is able to think properly."

Martin grinned; he stood up, put the small packets on the grass next to the sofa. He leaned down, kissed Ben again, ran his hands down his body, and rubbed across the bulge of Benedicts pants, who moaned and purred deeply. His fingers opened the belt and button, while hislips wandered over Benedicts heated skin. He sucked on Benedict's Adam's Apple.  
Benedict moan.  
Martins hands pushed down the trousers and the shorts, and his lips kissed to Ben's nipples. he kissed them, licked scross them, sucked at them and bit them.  
Benedict moaned even louder.  
He licked across Benedict's nipple again, before he kissed downwards to his stomach and his erection.  
He knelt in front of him; Ben spread his legs in relish and pleasure, and he moaned deeply, when Martin licked across his tip. He titled his head back, closed his eyes, his mouth hung open, his hands ran into Martin's hair. Martins ssucked at Benedict's cock, licked with his lips across every vein, scratched with his teeth softly. He swallowed his full length down, sucked at it again. He licked upwards, histongue circled across the tip, licked downwards, and the lips sucked at Bens balls.  
Ben pulled at Martin's hair.  
"God, this is good, so good, Martin", Ben moaned, he was massively turned on.  
Martin took him into his mouth again, the teeth scratched their way down, the lips sucked at Ben's dick, the tongue ran upwards, circled across the tip, lickes the precum away. He repeated this procedure over and over again.  
Benedict's head was still titled back, the mouth hung open; he sighed and grroaned hoarsely, he wasn't far away from his orgasm.  
He sighed with disapointment when Martin left off of his erection and squeezed him a kiss on the belly,  
"How do you want me?" He whispered with a deep voice against his heated skin.

Benedict swallowed and breathed, his chest rose and fell quickly; he ranhis hand lovingly through Martin's hair, looked down at him.  
In Martin's eyes was just written the pure pleasure.  
"Lie down on your stomach on the sofa." Ben whispered out of breath.  
Martin smiled and nodded.  
He stood up, opened his pants, pushing them down with his boxer briefs. His cock was fully erected, throbbing and leaking with precum.  
Martin laid down, as Benedicts had whished it - naked on the sofa on his belly.

Benedict followed him, knelt down behind Martin, which forehead was lying on the sofa. He could feel that Benedict bent over him, kissed his shoulder, his shoulder blade on the right side to his spine. His lips were kissing his spine downwards - tenderly. Goosebumps spread across Martin's back; he purred. He closed his eyes, enjoyed Ben's kisses.  
Benedict's lips kissed his buttocks, his hands massaged his butt. Martin sighed up again with pleasure. Ben's hand caressed along Martins side to his chest and downwards to his little tummy - until Martin begged for more. 

Ben opened the first packet, pressed the lube into his hand. He circled with his finger around Martin's puckering hole. Martin purred loudly, he shivered, and he moaned as he felt the first finger sliding into his hole. Benedict moved his finger slowly - he caressed Martin softly and tenderly, rubbed across his prosate a few times, which made Martin moan even louder. Two fingers thrust into Martins puckering hole, and every time he rubbed across the sensetive point of Martin. Martin gasped and panted. He purred and sighed, and he moaned and groaned in pure pleasure.  
Martin moved his hips in the same rhythm, like Ben's thrusting fingers. He would be more than ready, but Ben teased him with a third finger and a stroking hand around his throbbing erection. He groaned again, closed his eyes again, he moved his hips impatiently. He was sweating, panting, his arms were shaking. Juts Benedict's finger and hand around his erection, let him almost reach his climax. 

Benedict's fingers disappeared - Martin sighed up. Ben, he needed Ben. He heard the sound from the second little packet. Benedict put the lube into the palm of his hand, and he stroked himself for a moment, moaned in pure pleasure, which made martin really horny. At first, he felt Benedict's left hand on his hip; then he saw the right one next to him; Benedict leaned over him, the tip of his cock slid into him. They both moaned loudly with each fucking inch. His shoulders were kissed by Ben's.  
"Fuck, Benny. Please, keep going. " Martin pleaded. And Benedict fulfilled his wish.  
He trusted gently into him, his moans mingled with Martins. He moved slowly, kissed Martins back, between his moans and sighs and purrs.He scratched with his cheek over Martin's shoulder, what made Martin moan in pleasure and what led him to move his hips with Benedict's. They found a more intense rhythm. Martin's forhead was lying on his forearm, his eyes were closed; he enjoyed Benedict's long cock right up in his arse, he enjoyed his kisses on his heated skin and this exciting scratching of his beard.  
"Benny." He purred with pleasure and sighed disappointed when Benedict withdrew from him.  
"Benny, don't stop, please... " He muttered imploringly.  
"Turn aorund, darling." Benedict whispered gently.

Martin sank back onto his stomach, slowly turned on his back, looked up to Benedict, who looked at him with lusty and lovingly eyes. He stretched out an arm; Ben smiled, leaned down, put one arm under Martin's head. He kissed Martin's lips, could feel the soft bite from Martin - and he could feel that he wrapped his legs around him. They moaned into the kiss, found the same intense and loving rhythm again. Their kiss was like the loving and intense movements of their hips. Martin's hand ran wildly across Benedicts naked body.  
He needed neither his own nor Benedict's hand at his own erection. He was so close to his climax, he wouldn't need much to come like a horny teenager.  
Benedict's tongue played with Martins, he bit his lip, sucked at it. He broke apart needed to moan. He moaned Martin's name, full of lust. Martin could feel Ben's semen into him. And it pushed him over the edge. His orgasm ran through his body, immediately.  
"Oooohhh, Ben, Benny... fuck... fuck." He groaned with pure pleasure and lust.  
His fingers clawed Benedict's butt, who was still moving gently and slowly, who was still giving him gentle kisses on his cheeks and lips, who was rubbing his nose across his temple and placed an intimate kiss on that place.  
Martin shiverd pleasantly, lowered his legs, he slowly opened his eyes and put his hands into Benedict's hair.

"Did we really have sex on a quite well lighted terrace?" Martin muttered quietly.  
Benedict put his forehead on the Martins.  
"Hmh, oh yea, we had, we had amazing sex on a well ligthed terrace." Ben smiled, rubbed their noses together, and breathed him a gentle kiss on the lips.  
"Okay, just wanted to ask. And, because we're already here... we could cuddle a bit." He smiled with a soft smirk, and scratched tenderly Benedict's neck.  
His partner laughed softly.  
"Yes, it doesn't matter now."


	65. A Trip for Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey,
> 
> just a little note and a plea.
> 
> This whole Freebatch story will have in the end 201 chapters, which includes the first story Truth or Dare with 100 chapters, the second part of the story has also 100 chapters and then there is the sequel which is a Oneshot.  
> The whole story is almost finished in German, but for all you guys, I've to translate all these chapters. On my laptop every single chapter has 6-12 pages. So it's really a lot of work, it's a work that took me 4 hours to translate one of these chapters and editing it.  
> I've started to write that big thing at the end of January. I really love the story, and all the characters and I would love to translate it for you. I've done a hell of research, for every location, for every time you need to a location, how it look like... so that the story become alive as much as possible, and is as realistic as much as possible.
> 
> But I'm not sure if you guys want this. I know there Kudos for this story and bookmarks and a few comments from the beginning, but without some comments in between, it's hard to know, what you like or what you this like, or what you would love to be different (in style or whatever.) And it'S hard to get the motivation to sit down every day for 4 hours to translate it, when I don't know if you would love to read this story and what you love about it.  
> Normally I would upload a chapter every day, but my motivation is a bit down at the moment for this story. 
> 
> All the writers do a lot of work with his stories for free, and the only reward are comments and that stuff.  
> And I really want to do a great job for you, so that you have a story that made you laugh, and smile, and cry, and angry and angsty, but it's hard without any comments.  
> Comments are not just a silly and dumb note for me, I always read them properly, I always reply, I'm always happy about them, if they are good or not.
> 
> So my plea is, if you just could let me know in comments, if you want to read this story or not, and what you like or what you don't like.  
> If you don't want me to continue, then this is okay, and I will just delete it from my account, and upload all the other stories I've.
> 
> :-) It was a big note, I'm sorry. But thanks for reading.
> 
> Love,  
> Martin.  
> :-)

The couple continued with their cuddling on the terrace; they lay on the sofa, Benedict on top of Martin, their heads were turned to the sea.  
When Benedict yawned hearty, Martin turned his head to him. He ran his hand through Ben's hair.  
"Come on, honey, let's go inside, huh?"  
Benedict just nodded slowly, he pressed a kiss on Martin's collarbone and stood up.  
Martin sat up, took the boxer brief that Benedict handed him.  
Ben slipped just in his boxer brief as well, before he took all their other clothes and the two open packets. Martin took the two glasses, the wine and the cork screw.  
They walked up to the house; Martin put the stuff in the living room, Benedict threw the little packets away and dropped their clothes on the floor in the bedroom area, and then he fell into the bed.  
Martin crawled to him and wrapped his arms around Benedict's chest.

"Benedict? Can you just listen for a moment, before you fall asleep?" Martin asked softly and kissed his neck.  
"Yeah, love. What's up, honey?"  
"It's about tomorrow, or to be precise about today. Earlier, in the text for Simon, I had to lie, we actually will do something later, honey. Therefore, the alarm will wake us in just a couple of hours." He muttered with a warm voice into Benedict's neck.  
"Hmh? What are we doing?" He yawned irritated.  
"Something that belongs to your birthday gift. I wanted to do something special on your birthday, not just strolling around for some sightseeing, or lying around on the beach."  
"Another surprise? What do we do? " Ben asked amazed.  
"Shall I tell it you now.?" Martin smiled, and scratched Benedict's belly.  
"Hmm, please. Otherwise, I can't sleep the whole night because I will think about it.“  
"That would be inconvenient, you should be awake enough later to concentrate on driving. We will make a motorcycle tour, I've rented a motorbike for the whole day. We can pick it up at 9: 00, but we need to be there a bit earlier for the helmets and that stuff. The rest of the clothing is already ready, I gave them our sizes through a mail."

Benedict opened his eyes abruptly, he turned around, looked at Martin in the darkness.  
This season he had driven his motorcycle only two times, alone, on the weekends. Often, the weather had not cooperated, or they had had no time.  
"Jesus, are there more of these lovely surprises?" He beamed, even if one couldn't see it in the dark, you could clearly hear it.  
"No, only this trip. I've researched a route along the coast and trough some cities. We can stop for some food and sightseeing."  
"This is the best birthday I've ever had." He beamed, and hugged Martin tenderly.  
Martin smiled; he kissed Benedict's hair, pressed him closer and scratched his back.  
"Thank you Martin. Thank you for this vacation, for the off-road trip and the trip later. And thank you, that you're with me, on my side,... not only today " He kissed Martin's collarbone softly.  
Martin smiled and rubbed across Ben's back.  
"I'm glad to be at your side as well, And I'm glad that I was able to make you happy with my birthday presents." He murmured gently.

 

In the morning, they showered together and had some breakfast. With the packed backpack from Martin they left the house.  
Benedict was delighted and the anticipation for that trip was huge. He could imagine a better way to spent his birthday. It was just perfect, he was able to spend his birthday with a person he truly loved, while there were o vacation, and he was able to go on a motorcycle tour with his love Martin.  
They drove to the rental shop, where Martin had rented the bike.  
Once they were there, both men got their jackets, trousers, shoes and gloves.  
They changed into the motorcycle clothes, were just wearing a T-Shirt under their jackets. Martin had stored their own trousers and shoes into the backpack.  
The motorcycle itself had two suitcases, so they would be able to store their helmets later.  
After they had found the right helmets, the rent shop owner handed them the keys.

Benedict and Martin walked across the yard to the BMW machine, which Martin had hired for them. Both men hold still their helmets and gloves in their hands. Benedict beamed down to Martin; he bent down to him and gave him a brief, affectionate kiss on the lips.  
"Thanks again. This is a great birthday." Ben muttered with a warm voice.  
Martin winked and put on his helmet. He smiled at him through the visor.  
Benedict smiled gently; he slipped into his helmet as well, closed it, sat down on the motorcycle, before he slipped into the gloves.  
Martin sat down behind Benedict after he had put on the gloves as well.

Benedict started the machine, and drove from the yard onto on the road.  
Martin's had lay loosely at Benedict's sides.

The shop owner typed in Martin's route in the navigation system when they had been on the yard.  
Benedict followed the road.  
On his left side, he could see the sea, on the right side rocky mountains, covered with trees, bushes and shrubs. The sun was shining, and just a few little clouds bustled above them.  
Martin loved the view. It wasn't the first time that he was on a motorcycle, but he hadn't sat on a motorcycle that often, and thelast time had been long ago. He had never sat on a motorcycle with Benedict, and he was probably as much excited for the trip as the man in front of him.

 

http://www.stabiachannel.it/public/News/Immagini/Marina_del_Cantone.jpg

After almost driving an hour through serpentines, along the sea and the mountains, they reached Marina del Cantone.  
In between, they were driven through small villages.  
Marina del Cantone was located right beside the sea.  
Benedict parked the motorcycle on a public parking lot, from which you could go directly to the beach. In addition, a small cafe was located.  
They got both off of the motorcycle, put off the helmet, took off the gloves and opened the jackets.  
In the small Cafe, they bought two cup of coffee and some sweet pastries, and with them they went to the beach and sat down in the sand.  
Martin turned his head to Ben, ran his hand through his own hair, leaned in and kissed Ben's cheek breathily.  
"Everything okay with you, hun?" Benedict asked smilingly.  
"Everything's great, sweetheart." Martin smiled and drank a bit of his coffee.

The two men stayed in the sand, ate their cannoli, drank their coffee, took a few pictures of the area.  
They had sat there more than an hour, had enjoyed the cool breezes, had talked a bit, and Ben had answered the first birthday messages.  
Their way led them away from the coast, through small villages, narrow streets, right across the country, to the other side of the coast. It wasn't far away, after twenty minutes, they saw the coast again.  
The sea was right next to them as well as the typical mountains - planted. Houses stood between restaurants, shops and small courtyards. Motorcycles, scooters and cars, parked on the side of the road, some of them looked pretty tattered.

 

<http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7329/8721719768_7311bc31ef.jpg>

They made a short break in Punta Lagno, took off the helmets and opened their jackets again.  
Martin took the water bottle out of the backpack.  
Although they had thinner summer jackets and the wind brought them some cool air, it couldn't cool them down properly. It was still a motorcycle jacket, which was intended to protect them in case of an accident, and so the jacket was still thick and warm. And on top of that, the gloves and helmets, the long trousers and the solid motorcycle boots, heated them up as well.  
Although Martin and Benedict had sligtly opened the visor on the way to Punta Lagno, they both sweated and the cool water from the bottle did incredibly well.

 

<http://www.destination360.com/europe/italy/sorrento/images/s/castellammare-di-stabia.jpg>

<http://newmedia.thomson.co.uk/live/vol/3/37eacf32e802709d9b5b3e9ae6583587d57160ca/1080x608/web/EUROPEMEDITERRANEANITALYCON_ITANEAPOLITANRIVIERACASTELLAMMAREDISTABIA.jpg> 

They reached Castellamare di Stabia shortly after 1 pm.  
Their way had led them through the heart of Sorrento, where already a colorful hustle and bustle had been going on.  
They drove along the coastal road; they still were able to see te sea, bushes, trees, mountains, which were planted more or less.  
They stopped at a restaurant, which was directly located beside the sea. They stowed their helmets into the two suitcases, as well as their gloves.  
Martin opened his jacket, slipped out of it and breathed out.  
"Jesus, it's fucking hot." He said, and ran his hand through the sweaty hair.  
"Yes, absolutely true" Ben said with a smile. He slipped out of his jacket and walked to the restaurants terrace.  
Martin and Benedict sat down at a table, which was standing in the shadows, they laid their jacket over the back rest of the chairs.  
Martin turned his head to the sea, he saw a little sandy beach nearby.  
"After lunch I need a cool down."  
"We didn't take swim shorts with us." Benedict smiled.  
"We both wear underwear, I at least." He grinned to Ben.  
"Me as well, Martin! You have watched me when I dressed up earlier." Ben smirked.  
"But I don't know what you have done while I was packing the backpack." Martin grinned even more. "But if you're wearing one as well, we could go into the sea." He smiled.  
"Yeah we can do that, it would be great to cool down a bit, before we will walk through Pompeji." He smiled fondly.  
Martin smiled gently; he briefly caressed Ben's hand, which lay on the table. His fingers caressed the back of Benedict's hand; his eyes beamed across the table.

Benedict and Martin read the menu card, ordered salad, pasta and water, they shared their food and talked with each other.  
After Martin had paid, they strolled to the small beach.  
It was a magnificent view over the sea, and you even could see the Vesuvius and the bay of Naples.  
Benedict dropped the jacket down, slipped out of his shoes and socks, he slipped out of the pants and the white T-Shirt. He was just wearing his black tight boxer shorts. Ben looked to Martin, who had undressed himself as well. He was standing in front of Benedict with a checkered loosely boxer shorts.  
Benedict was the first one who was taking the cool down, while Martin had watched him.  
After a few minutes, Benedict came back to Martin, he bent down to him, kissed him gently, ran his hand through the grey hair. And before Martin went off to the see, they hugged each other lovingly.  
Benedict had sat down, and he pulled his mobile phone out of his motorcycle jacket, when it rang.

FaceTime. Simon.

He smiled, pressed to accept the call.

  
_Simon grinned and waved; he was obviously at home and sitting at the kitchen table._

_"Heeeey, old, old man, all the best for you 40th, how do you feel? Are the bones already rattling?"_   
_"Thank you Simon. And I feel very good, my bones are feeling great as well."_   
_"It's not fair, you're obviously on the beach, while I am sitting at home. It rains in Hertfordshire. But you deserve it, but just because it is your birthday today."_   
_Benedict laughed and ran his hand through his wet hair._   
_"Yes, we are on the beach in Castellmare di Stabia, we're on the way to Pompeii. Martin had planned something for today. A motorcycle tour. We are on the road since this morning. Most of the time along the coast. It's amazing. I can see the Vesuvius and Naples right now. And little Martin in the water " He grinned into the camera._   
_"The greatest view for you is probably little Martin in the water. Don't show me your view, otherwise I will suffer even more. It's a lovely gift from Martin, I think you love it really much, don't you? The little romantic fellow has fulfilled you a big wish, I suppouse."_   
_"Right, yeah, the day is perfect, the weather is fucking great as well as the motorcycling, and Martin is with me. It is very pleasant, especially because it's not a hustle an bustle with him. I'm already really relaxed and cozy, and it's justthe third day."_   
_"I agree with you. I don't like it, if the holiday is planned through. ... Ahh, hi my sweet little Hobbit." Simon smirked, when Martin appeared in front of the camera and sat down next to Benedict._   
_Martin raised his hand with a grin, he leaned his head on Benedict's shoulder._   
_"Well, are you drown in the rain or have you also bright sunshine at 35 degrees?"_   
_"That was rude, you fucking git!" He grinned, and looked to Benedict again. "I just ignor the cheeky guy next to you. Enjoy the cuddle and your momotorcycle trip, and especially your 40th. I'm looking forward to the big birthday party."_   
_"Sometimes it is the best to just ignor him. Thank you Simon and thank you for your congratulations and the call."_   
_"My pleasure. Bye Ben...bye Hobbit" Simon grinned and ended the call._

Benedict put the phone back into the jacket. He smirked to Martin, who also grinned at him and then pushed him into the sand, rolled up on him.  
"Hey." Ben grinned.  
"Hello gorgeous man... "Martin whispered smilingly.  
He caressed across Benedict's cheek and ran his fingers gently through Ben's wet hair. His nose rubbed across Benedict's, before he kissed his lips tenderly.  
Benedict closed his eyes, returned Martins kiss; his hands stroked across Martin's back.  
Martin cuddle with his partner; he kissed him slowly and lovingly; he laid his hand on Ben's cheek, his thumb stroked back and forth. He gently nibbled on Ben's lip, sucked at it and kissed his ways to the forehead.  
Benedict sighed and purred, and his fingertips breathed along Martin's spine.

The two men stayed like that for a while, until they were dry again.  
The cool down had done well, even if they had to dress up.  
Martin sat down on the motorcycle again, he put his hands back to Benedict's side, pressed with one hand gently Ben's side, and gave him the sign, that with him all was good and that he was ready.  
Benedict drove off, they snaked through the streets of Castellamare di Stabia, to the city centre of Pompeii. The ride was short, lasted only 20 minutes.  
They had decided to have a look at the amphitheatre and to stroll afterwards through the city, to drink a cup of coffee and to eat some pastries or ice cream. After that they would drive back to Positano.  
Martin enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of the holiday and this trip. Although they wanted to have dinner in Positano, they didn't need to rush.

They walked next to each other; the helmets and gloves lay in the suitcases, and they both were carrying their jackets. They took some photos at the theater; Benedict phoned briefly with his parents and even with Martin's mother and his stepfather, who called, when they were on the way back to the old city.  
Benedict put the mobile phone in his trouser pocket again, put an arm around Martin's shoulder. He kissed his hair, smiled down to him.  
"Coffee and ice cream?"  
"Yes, a coffee would be great now, and ice cream as well." Martin agreed. He put an arm around Ben.  
"Before we go to the restaurant tonight, I will need a shower."  
"Absolutely. It's really fun Ben, but it's unbelievable hot in these shoes and these pants.“  
Ben nodded and smiled, and strolled through the streets of Pompeji with Martin.  
Martin broke apart, it was just to hot, to walk like this in the moment, even so he really loved to hold hands with Ben or walk like this with him. He scratched over Ben's back one last time and then he took the jacket in the other hand.

They found a small market square, bought a cup of coffee and ice cream, and made themselves comfortable on the fringe of a fountain. They licked their ice cream, drank their coffee.  
Their gaze wandered around the marketplace, watching the other people who were walking around in silence, who, spoke and laughed with each other or disputed. Children ran around the fountain, parents tried to make a nice photo of their children, kissing couples which made selfies. A man, who carried the bags behind his wife; a man, who made rude gestures, while his girlfriend sulked next to him

 

The way back to Positano led them along a road of the inland region, small towns, villages, fields, mountains and valleys. The road was narrow, two cars were hardly able to drive next to each other.  
In Marmorata, they reached the coast again. The sea glittered, reflecting the sun. Small waves cavorted, that had arisen due to the light wind.

Another hour later they arrived at Positano; two hours they had needed from Pompeii, through the country and along the coast.


	66. A birthday dinner and some old memories

Martin raised his glass of wine for the third time on this evening, and he clinked glasses with Ben again. They had walked to the restaurant, which the old couple from the beach had mentioned. And they hadn't promised too much.  
The food had been really delicious; his fish as well as Bens pizza.  
The atmosphere was amazing; a pleasant light lit up the terrace, and the view over the sea and the mountains was just fantastic. Far away, one could see little boats, single lights, a sea of light from a far away city.  
In the background played a cozy music, mixed with all the conversations around them.  
Conversations in German, Italian, Norwegian, English. At the table next to them, someone talked in some of the nordic languages; Martin couldn't say for sure if it was Danish, Norwegian, Swedish or Finnish.  
His eyes scanned Benedict, who sat opposite of him. The hands lay on the table, he had put down his glass of wine, after he had drunk a sip out of it, and now, he seemed to enjoy the view. Martin smiled, he put down his glass, too. He had crossed one leg above the other, and laid a hand on Benedict's. And so he led the attention back to himself.

Ben turned his head to him, he looked relaxed, smiled across the table.  
Martin's forefinger breathed across the back of his hand to his fingers and back to the back of his hand to his wrist. He had bowed his head, his eyes beamed, as well as the eyes from Ben, who laid his hand on Martin's caressing one.  
"The whole day I thanked you, but now at the end of the day, I need to say thank you again. Thank you for this really amazing day. He couldn't have been better. There isn't a place I would have rather been today. The trip was fantastic, and it was a lot of fun - the driving, the beach, the swimming, strolling through Pompeji. I've enjoyed it really much. The whole vacation is just great. It's great to have sleep ins, that we're not planning the whole day. It's great to just enjoy it."

Martin squeezed his hand, smiled and ran his thumb across Benedict's wrist.  
"It's great, that you loved the day that much. I have enjoyed it as well, really much. It was good fun. Maybe I should buy motorcycle clothes when we're back in London, so that we're able to make such trips more often. And I enjoyed it that we were able to spend your birthday together, here in Italy. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the vacation." He smiled widely, squeezed Ben's hand again. "To be honest, I'm glad that this vacation isn't a hustle and bustle. I don't have a problem with this at all, to spend a whole day with sightseeing - I mean, we all can be lazy at home, therefore I don't need to fly away. But I really love the mixture of sightseeing and culture, and beach and being a lazy prick."  
Ben smiled and nodded.  
"It would be great, would we be able to drive with each other more often."  
"When we're back in the UK, I will look for clothes." Martin smiled softly. "The season isn't over yet."  
"That sounds great." Benedict beamed.  
"As long as you feel young enough for that." Martin smirked.  
"I don't have the feeling to be a day older." Ben grinned. "How you have felt on your 40th?"  
"Jesus... um, not older or different. I've worked when I turned forty."  
"Oh yeah, it was the Hobbit time."

Martin smiled an nodded. He enjoyed Ben's thumb, which caressed the back of his hand. He looked at him with warm blue eyes.  
"Hmh, I don't really care about age. I mean what is that number telling you? I don't feel like almost 45. It's just a number at the end of the day, isn't it? I haven't feel different when there wasn't a three anymore, but a four. Except from the fact, that I was deathly exhausted after that day of shoot."  
"That's right, it's just a number. What have you shot at your birthday?" Ben asked softly.  
"Something horrible." Martin smirked. "We shot the gaint-thunderstrom/thunderbattle scene. I mean, for me it was just acting, I didn't need to say anything, it was just reacting. But we stood on that set, and after a few minutes, we didn't need to pretend it is a big storm, we just thought it would be the biggest storm. All the light from the ceiling were programmed, and they flickered, like thunderbolts. They made us wet, completely wet and from the ceiling more water rained down, and the wind maschine did the rest. Luckily, I wasn't packed up like a donkey, but it was really exhausting anyway. I don't know how long we had shot it, but the day before I turned forty we started." Martin smirked.  
Ben grinned widely.  
"So you hadn't had great weather like me today?" Ben grinned.  
"That's a sore point. It was really uncomfortable at some point, if you're soaked wet, and your clothes and backpack are heavy as hell. I haven't seen anything most of the time, because the wind maschine blew the rain into my eyes the whole time. Peter yelled every time, that I should open my eyes, but I couldn't do that." He laughed. "Okay, it was a bit of fun."  
"But not everybody spend his birthday like that. I facetimed you in the morning."  
"You did, love." Martin smiled.

Ben winked softly.  
"My favourite moment of filming The Hobbit, was your visit." Martin remembered.  
"On your last day." Ben smiled.  
"Yes. Suddenly, someone impersonated Peter, and told me what to do. Jesus, I was really happy to see you. That was a really lovely surprise."  
"As your friend or what was I?" Ben smiled.  
"Um, that's a tough question. It was summer 2013. If I was happy to see you, because I was madly in love with you, then I didn't realize it. Now I can say, that I really have missed you, even so you had been on set for Smaug for a while. But most of the times you were in your own small room. It was great to see you again, to hear you, to hug you. It was just great. Whatever it was." Martin smiled tenderly.  
"At this time I hadn't admitted more than a deep friendship to myself." Ben smiled as well.

Martin bowed his head.  
"I admitted it to myself after a phone call, at the beginning of the last year. We had phoned with each other several hours, and when you hung up, I missed you, as if we wouldn't have talked to each other the last months. I lay in my bed, thought about you, and I noticed that I had been fallen in love with you - over the years, every day a bit more. I couldn't deny it any longer, that I wanted more than just friendship. It was weird to see you after this a couple of days later for the Sherlock Special. I tried to talk me out of it; I controlled if I truly was in love with you. I hoped that it wasn't love in a romantic way, that it was just love for a friend. But with each silly test I did, I showed me, that it was true love, romantically love.

Ben smiled lovingly, squeezed Martin's hand.  
"Right. You did some strange things, when we shot the Special. I admitted it to myself during the shooting for the Special - on the evening, when we were in your hotel room, had drunk together and talked the whole night.  
"Oh, that night. Yeah. Jesus, you lay next to me on your back in my bed. We both stared to the ceiling and talked and talked and talked. I thought about asking you if you want to do a Johnlockkiss, so we would knew how it felt like, if we would read it someday in the script."  
"You wanted to ask me for a kiss, that we kiss, and rehearse a Johnlockkiss?" Ben grinned.  
Martin grinned as well and nodded.  
"Yeah, it seemed to be a good excuse to get a kiss from you."  
"Why haven't you asked me?" Ben smirked.  
"Because of my courage, and the fact, that there actually wasn't a script with a Johnlockkiss in it. And I just had drunk one beer, the excuse that I'm drunk, hadn't been a rescue." Martin smirked and sipped at his wine.  
"Very interesting. Probably I would've agreed to it. It would have been a great excuse to share a kiss."  
"Almost 11 months later, I found the courage. And look around, hun - now I'm at your side, we're sitting in that lovely restaurant with an amazing view and enjoy the rest of your birthday. A happy end." Martin winked.  
"I hope our movie isn't finished now." Ben smiled.  
"No, there's more than one part, principal photography is planned until... 2070." Martin grinned softly.  
Ben grinned broadly, squeezed Martins hand again and took his glass of wine as well.

At the end of the evening, they each had drunk four glasses of wine, and Matrin had paid.  
A lot of people were still strolling through the city, they were sitting in pubs and cafes and restaurants, strolled through the narrow streets. A few lights lit in some of the windows, in the shop windows, and street lights lit up the way as well.  
They strolled through the alleyways.  
Benedicts ice cream shop was still open as well. Martin saw it and turned his head to Ben, he beamed at him.  
"Come on, sweetheart, I buy you an ice cream."  
Ben bowed his head, looked around, and then he beamed as well.  
"Aww, awesome. The perfect end of the day." He smirked, and walked a bit faster to queue up with the other people.  
Martin grinned and walked to his partner, who studied the different flavors.  
Martin didn't want to think too long about his ice cream. They probably would eat an ice cream everyday, anyway, so he would just take another flavor everyday. If the other flavors were as tasty as the one yesterday, he would even eat the pineapple ice cream, and that was a flavor he normally didn't like.

With the ice cream in their hands they strolled towards the beach.  
Ben walked next to him, was happy like a little boy and licked his ice cream happily.  
After their motorcycle tour they had been exhausted, but after a shower and a shared nap on the sofa, they were both wide awake again.  
Martin rubbed his hands after he had put the last bit of his waffle into his mouth. He sat down onto the sand and angled his legs.  
Ben sat down next to him, patted his knee softly and laid down.  
They weren't the only people on the beach right now. Two women were sitting here as well as a family and another couple.

Martin loooked to the sea, watched the little waves. He yawned, rubbed his eyes and turned his head to Ben, who was lying in the sand and watched the sky.  
"Can we take a cab later? I didn't want to stroll forty minutes back to the house later." Martin said.  
"Yeah we can do that, Martin." Ben smiled.  
Martin nodded. He looked at Benedict, scanned him and laid down as well.  
He laid his had on Ben's stomach, faced Ben. They lay in the sand like the letter T; Martin was the long line, Ben the short line.  
Martin closed his eyes, he felt Ben's hand on his upper arm, the left hand ran through his hair, played with the grey strands. He sighed, tucked his legs, and snuggled his cheek onto Ben's flat stomach.  
It was a position that was really comfortable.  
He could fall asleep like that.

Ben played with Martins strands, listend to his calm breathing, and looked up to the sky. He was in thoughts about the day.  
He couldn't remember one birthday, where he had felt that happy, and where he had had fun like today. He couldn't remember one birthday, where he had felt more loved than today.  
For him, the day had been perfect.

In the corner of his eyes he could see that two persons came to him and Martin.  
It were the two women, which had been sitting a few meters away.  
Ben looked up with questioning eyes, they seemed to be in their early thirties.  
The two women smiled, and one of them found her voice again.  
"Uhm, hello. We didn't want to bother, but well,... we didn't want to miss the chance as well. Could we have an autograph and could we take a picture with you?" The woman asked friendly.  
"It was your birthday an hour ago. So Happy Birthday." The other woman smiled.  
Ben smiled up to them.

Martin hadn't heard anything, he still lay in a fetus position with the head on Benedict's stomach. The eyes were closed and the ribcage rose and fell slowly.  
Not just that he could have fallen asleep like that, he actually had been fallen asleep like that.

"Thank you very much." Ben smiled. "And no problem. You two asked nicely, but I need to disappoint you, anyway. I'm sorry. Martin sleeps, we had been on the road the whole day, I didn't want to wake him now. You two would get a picture with a grumpy looking Martin." He smirked. "How long are you here?" He asked.  
The woman with the short hair grinned broadly, and her friend looked down to the sleeping Martin.  
They both smiled at him again.  
"It's fine, we just thought we ask you. We are here until next week."  
"Well, I think we will see each other again in the next 7 days. We always eat dinner here, and after that we probably will eat an ice cream... every day around midnight." He winked.  
"Do you want to tell us, that we could see each other at the ice cream shop again?"  
"Yeah, that's exactly what I said." He smiled, he still played with Martin's hair.  
"Great!" The woman with the short hair said. "Doesn't he wake up, when we talk next to him the whole time?" The woman smirked, and pointed to Martin.

Martin still lay there in his fetus postion, his head snuggled on Ben's belly, his armes were crossed in front of his chest, and his polo shirt had been slid up a bit, so one was able to see his little tummy. He smiled in his sleep.

"No, but probably when I stop playing with his hair. If he's really exhausted, a rock band could play next to him, and he wouldn't wake up." Ben grinned.  
"Adorable." They grinned, and waved him.  
"We don't want to bother you two any longer. Enjoy your holiday and thanks for the nice little smalltalk, even if we won't meet at the ice cream shop."  
"Thank you two as well. And if we will meet at the ice cream shop, you two will get your photo and the autographs. it's a promise." He smiled.  
The two woman smiled again, waved again, and then they walked towards the street.

Ben turned his head to Martin again.  
He played with his hair for a while.


	67. Emerald Grotto

A few pics for you.

 

[http://gruppobattellieriamalfi.com/_img_key/66-5img-g-grottasmeraldoweb.jpg https://images.trvl-](http://gruppobattellieriamalfi.com/_img_key/66-5img-g-grottasmeraldoweb.jpg%20https://images.trvl-)

 

[media.com/media/content/shared/images/travelguides/destination/180060/Emerald-Grotto-43287.jpg](media.com/media/content/shared/images/travelguides/destination/180060/Emerald-Grotto-43287.jpg)

 

<https://pixabay.com/static/uploads/photo/2015/11/07/13/30/amalfi-1031875_960_720.jpg>

 

Martin was sitting at the round glass table in the garden under the vine. He wore his sunglasses; the hair was tousled, was almost dry after a short swimming session. His swim shorts still pasted against his thighs, and his shirt hung loosely on his shoulders.  
The last two days, Ben and he had been on the beach, they had relaxed, had been swimming, and they had played beach tennis, which they had bought in the city. Occasionally, they had been just lying around on the blanket, to read or to take a nap. Martin had enjoyed it; he was glad that they didn't do everything together. The day before yesterday he had been in the city on his own. They had spent the whole day at the pool and Martin had wanted to go for a little stroll. And so he had been strolled through Positano, while Benedict had finished the book, he had begun to read - on his own at the pool.  
In the evening they had been in Positano for a nice dinner; they had tried on every single evening another restaurant. And after that, they always walked to the little ice cream shop. They had met the two women from the beach, and in the end, they had invited them for an ice cream, they had talked with them, had taken a picture and they had given them an autograph - and after that their ways had split again.

Yesterday they had rent bicycles for the midmorning, they had been in Montepertuso, had strolled through the city, had eaten lunch, and after that they had driven back with the bicycles, before they had spent the rest of the day on the beach and at the pool.  
Today, in the morning, they had been on the weekly market in Vettica Maggiore.

 

At the moment, Martin sat on his own in the garden, he flipped through one of the travel guides. It was afternoon, they had bought a few thing on the weekly market and had cooked on their own. While Martin had cleaned up, Benedict had sat down with one of his books. But when Martin had come downstairs, he had found him in a lying position, sleeping with the book on his chest. He hadn't wanted to wake Ben, so he had taken the travel guide. He had walked downstairs to the garden, had been swimming in the pool, and now he searched for a trip for tomorrow.  
He sipped at his water and ate a few grapes, he had taken with him.

Ben opened his eyes slowly, he yawned and stretched his body. He felt for the book, which wasn't lying on his chest anymore. He turned his head to the right and saw the book, which was lying on the coffee table - probably Martin had put it onto the coffee table. He rubbed across his face, sat up and stretched again, before he stood up. He scuffed through the open door onto the terrace, and looked around.  
One of the sun loungers was covered with a towel, and through the vine he could see something checkered. It was Martins shirt, which he had worn in the morning as well.  
Ben smiled, he walked across the terrace, took the stairs down to the garden, and walked to his partner, who still read the travel guide.  
Ben laid his hands on Martin's shoulders and massaged them gently; he bent down and breathed him a kiss on the grey, tousled and damp hair.

"Hey love." He murmured into the grey hair.  
Martin had shrugged briefly: he hadn't heard Ben. His heart raced for a few seconds like mad, but it calmed down immediately, when he felt the kiss.  
"I'm sorry, I didn't want to scare you." Ben mumbled.  
"It's fine, hun." He laid his hand on Benedict's, which was still lying in his shoulder. "Awake again?" He squeezed Ben's hand.  
"Hmm, I hadn't even read one page. You know, you could have woken me up." He breathed another kiss into Martin's hair, before Martin turned around a bit and looked up softly.  
"I know Benny. We're on vacation, we haven't planned anything for today, so why I should wake you up. I just read a bit in the travel guide in the meantime." He smiled.  
"And you had been swimming... or you had been doing some other wild things. At least,... before I fall asleep you didn't look like a burst pillow." Ben smirked, and ran his hand lovingly through Martin's hair.  
"I was just in the pool... the wild things I do with you, and you hadn't been available." Martin grinned.  
"Oh, Jesus... for the wild thing you could have wake me up on all account. Do you have found something interesting?" He still ran his hand through Martin's hair.

Martin grinned softly, and then he nodded with a smile.  
"Yeah, a cavern... it isn't far away, half an hour or something like that. It's open for tourists, and in Amalfi one could put out to sea with ships and boats. Do you want to do that?" Martin asked softly.  
"Both things sound great. We could do that tomorrow. And in the next week a trip to the Vesuvius and Naples?" Ben smiled, he saw Martins nod.  
"That's fine with me. Tomorrow I would love to do something lazy, without much walking." Martin grinned, and rubbed across Ben's stomach.  
Ben smirked; he bent down, gave Martin a little kiss on the lips, before Martin turned around completely and hugged him in his sitting position.

 

The couple spent the rest of the afternoon at the pool and their evening in Positano. They had been eaten Pizza, after that their ice cream, and then they had been at Mario's shop, who had made them a cup of coffee, talked a lot - and in the end, he had given them a new bottle of wine, for free.  
The conversation had been great; Mario was really nice, as well as his wife. They had laughed a lot and Mario had told them a lot of stories.

In the meantine they were at the cavern. They had parked in the near, on the roadside, just like all the other cars and motorcycles.  
Ben and Martin bought two tickets.  
The cavern lay under the water, and the entrance wasn't reachable above the surface - the reason why no one had found the cavern earlier. Afterwards, people had installed an elevator into the rocks, which takes visitors down to the cave level, where they board boats that take them to the grotto.  
20 people were able to sit in these boats, at least, Martin had read that in the travel book.

Just the pier for the boats looked awesome.  
They took a seat next to each other, and after 20 people had sat down, they set off.  
Martin leaned against Ben, who has laid an arm around him. The cave guide rowed them into the inside of the grotto.  
Martin's mouth hung open. He had travelled a lot during his job, and he always had used days off for some sightseeing and to get to know the countries, but something beautiful like this, he had never seen beforehand.  
It was more than just a gleam of light, it was more a beaming beautiful emerald green light, and sometimes it shone turquoise. The inside of the cavern was filled with stalagmites, stalactites and some other art, which was created by time and nature - and some of them were almost 10 meters high. All these things reflected the light and built an amazing looking play of colours.  
Under the water one could see a nativity scene, which some artist had built 60 years ago. It was just amazing.  
Benedict next to him was stunned as well, he listend to the words of the cavern guide.  
They both took pictures and enjoyed the 20 minutes ride through the grotto.

After their visit, they walked back to the car.  
They got in and Martin turned his head to Ben.  
"Benny?" He smiled.  
"Hm?"  
"I know it's corny, probably too corny and soppy as well, what I want to tell you, but I need to say it, at least once. The cavern and these lights had been amazing."  
"Why is that corny and soppy? I loved it as well. I didn't know where to look first. Probably I looked like a psychopath - my mouth hung open the whole time." He interrupted Martin, and showed him his stunned facial expression again.  
Martin grinned and shook his head.  
"I didn't mean that when I talked about corny and soppy." He said.  
Benedict looked at him with a look of expectancy; his eyes gleamed green in the middle, the surrounding shone blue.  
"You have interrupted me, love." Martin said softly and bowed his head. "I wanted to say, that I always have the possibility to see that play of gleaming colours, as long as you're at my side. It reminded me of your eyes. Light green, dark green, grey-blue, light blue and green, deep blue - all at once with this golden glance."  
Ben bowed his head, he rubbed across Martin's thigh.  
"You're right... it's a bit corny and soppy." Ben winked. "But, thank you for your compliment, I would like to hear that more often. It wasn't too corny, honey." He smiled softly, and squeezed his thigh. "Your eyecolour change as well."  
"Yeah, I know. But it's not the same."  
"They are sometimes a bit brown, and a dark grey... but most of the times they're warm.  
Martin smiled; he raised his hand and cupped Ben's cheek, leaned in and kissed him gently. His nose rubbed across Ben's  
"Thank you, love. ... Let's drive to Amalfi before it gets soppy and corny for real." He grinned and kissed him again, before he sat down properly again.

 

They just needed fifteen minutes to Amalfi.  
They parked in some of the streets, walked to the pier and watched the ships and boats. They looked for the time of departure, ate lunch and then they took one of the ships.  
The ship put of to sea.  
Ben smiled to Martin, squeezed his bare knee and stood up. He went to the ship's rail, leaned his forearms on it and watched the sea, the mountains, the little houses, and trees and bushes, the hustle and bustle on the beach.  
The wind tousled through his hair, which had become brighter because of the sun, they almost were auburn again.  
Martin stayed on the bench; he enjoyed it all from the bench, leaned back, enjoyed the sun and the light wind.

After several minutes he stood up and walked over to Benedict. He laid his on Ben's light blue shirt on the lower back.  
Ben turned his head around, smiled to him.  
"Do you want to drink something, love?" Martin asked, and handed him already the bottle.  
"Oh, that's great, thank you, Martin." He took the bottle, opened it and took a few sips.  
Martin caressed his back softly, while Ben was drinking and closing the bottle again. He bent down and put the bottle onto the floor. And after that, he laid his arm around Martin's nape and pulled him gently into his arms.  
Martin wrapped his arms around him, laid his cheek agains Ben's collarbone, so that he was able to look to the sea. He could feel Benedict's cheek on his head. He was looking at the sea as well.  
Martin just cuddled with Ben, and his eyes scuttered across the sea and the landscape. He watched the planted mountains and all the other boats and ships on the sea.

The ship turned around, sailed back to the pier.  
Martin turned his head around, he stretched up, stood on his tiptoes, and gave Ben a soft and tender kiss on the cheek. He hugged him again lovingly and then he broke apart slowly. He turned around and leaned his back against the ship's rail.  
Ben stood next to him, bent down, and kissed Martin's temple breathily.  
Martin closed his eyes, he smiled happily.  
He couldn't remember that he exchanged so much caresses in one of his last relationships. But with Benedict, he couldn't hold that back. When Ben was in his nearness, he just needed to hug him or to snuggle into his arms, he needed to kiss him and get kissed by him. He needed to show him how much he loved him and how important he was for him.  
Automatically he leaned his side against Ben's upper body and watched the tourists on the ship.

There weren't much people with them on the ship, maybe most of the people still were eating lunch, or were taking a nap.  
Two old couples, who seemed to know each other; the women talked with each other, since they had been on the trip; the men just sat there in silence and enjoeyed the landscape, one of them took pictures the whole time.  
A family; the parents stood at the ship's rail; the youngest daughter enjoyed the trip on the shoulders of his daddy; the other daughter and their son, both teenagers, sat on one of the benches. The girl played with her mobile phone the whole time, she typed the whole time; and Martin was asking himself, when she would cry after an electricity supply. The boy had played with his mobile phone as well, he had taken pictures and he had annoyed his sister - bitch alert.  
A young gay couple stood at the ceiling as well. They had spent their time like Martin and Ben; they had talked, had taken picture, had enjoyed the landscape, had kissed and cuddled.  
Another family; the parents probably in Ben's age, maybe oneor two years younger. They came from Scotland, at least it had sounded like Scottish, when they had talked with each other. They had two kids, a boy and girl - twins. They had enjoyed the view with their parents, joked around and now they played with the yellow stuffed duck. They throw them to each other. And it seemed to be the boy's stuffed duck.

The boy laughed, caught the duck and throw it to his sister again - euphorically. The duck flew across the deck to Martin, who was able to catch the ducks neck in the last moment. Ben's eyes went big, as well as the eyes of the little boy.  
"Jesus, that wasclose. The duck almost took a bath." Ben said.  
The boy ran to them, the eyes were big, the mouth hung open. He looked up to Martin, who crouched down and smiled. He handed the duck over, which was hugged immediately.  
"That was a good throw." Martin winked.  
The boy nodded, and still hugged his duck.  
"Hmh, but dangerous."  
"Yeah, it ws a bit dangerous for your duck. What's her or his name?" He asked gently.  
"Naknak, that's her name since I was a baby." He smiled now.  
Martin grinned and bowed his head. Benedict watched them.  
"How old are you now?"  
"Already 5 years." The boy beamed, and for proof he showed Martin five fingers.  
"Oh, than you have her since a long time. Maybe you should gave her a life jacket."  
"Hmh, that would be good, because she can't swim. She sank when she's really wet. But you've saved her."  
"But I wouldn't have jumped after her." Martin grinned, and the boy grinned as well.  
"You're not allowed to do that, you also have no life jacket."  
"That's right." Martin smiled, and squeezed the boy's shoulder. "I think, it's better if you two wouldn't throw Naknak to each other on that ship. I think you would be really sad, if she fall into the water, huh? And look, we're already at the pier again. I think for the last few minutes you two will find another occupation.  
"Yes, that's better. Do you have an idea?" The boy smiled.  
"Hmh, did Naknak seen the mountains already?  
"No, she was in my backpack." The boy shook his head.  
"So you could show her the view now." Martin smiled.  
"Oh yeah, I will do that. Thank you, that you saved her. You need to give her a kiss, like you gave your boyfriend a kiss." He beamed.  
Martin bowed his head, smiled to him, to the duck and to the boy again.  
"A kiss?"  
"Yes, to say goodbye." He smiled, and held the duck in front of Martin's face.  
Martin smiled, he gave the duck a kiss. The boy smiled widely, beamed and waved, and he waved to Ben as well.  
"Bye." He beamed, turned around and ran to his family again.

Martin looked after him and stood up again. He looked to Ben, who smiled, an laid his arms around Martin again.  
"Hello superhero. That was really close. He have seen the duck sank down to the bottom of the sea."  
"Excellent skills" Martin grinned. "But, honestly... I haven't thought to catch her."  
"I was stunned as well, not because I question your skills, but that wasn't just a really good throw from the little boy, it was a really good catch from you. And you have a big heart as well, I think, the duck was really happy about your kiss." Ben smirked lovingly.  
"I've kissed the shock away." Martin smirked.  
Ben grinned; he pressed Martin closer, breathed him a kiss on the head and looked at him softly.  
"You would be a really lovely and awesome father."  
"You too Benny, you would be an amazing and fantastic father as well." Martin smiled with a warm voice. He caressed Ben's chest.  
"Can... can we talk about it again?" Ben aksed with warm eyes.  
"We will talk about it again." Martin murmured with a tingle in his stomach.

Ben nodded, he looked with warm eyes to Martin.  
They locked eyes with each other, and smiled warmly and lovingly.


	68. The future und the past

In Amalfi they hadn't just relaxedon the ship. At the end, they trip to Amalfi had led them through a gallery, through the city and the catherdrale of Amalfi. In the afternoon they had relaxed in a nice little cafe, with a coffee and a shared peice of cake. And they had even eaten dinner in Amalfi, before they had driven back to Positano.

They had changed their clothes, were just wearig t-shirts und boxer shorts. They didn't go to bed, they took two glasses of wine and the new wine bottle from Mario. Martin filled the glasses in the kitchen and handed one of them Benedict.  
"Are we staying here, or do you want to go outside?" Martin asked with a smile.  
"Garden and pool?" Ben asked with questioning eyes.  
"Yeah, would love that."  
He followed Benedict downstairs, through the living area, across the terrace and downstairs to the garden.

Ben stopped at the pool; he sat down slowly, and hung his legs into the water.  
Martin followed; he sat down as well, and hung the legs into the water. He turned his head to Ben and raised his glass.  
"On a nice second week."  
Ben raised his glass and clinked glasses.  
"On a nice second week."

Martin and Benedict sipped the wine, looked to the sea.   
Ben moved his legs in the water. Martin twirled his glass in his hand, he took a sip again, and then he heard Benedict's voice next to him.  
"Do you want to go to Naples tomorrow, or when you wanted to go?"  
"I don't know,... I don't need to go tomorrow, maybe on Wednesday or Thursday. I think I would rather enjoy the beach in the next days, maybe rent the bicycles again, and then we could go to Naples. And afterwards we would have some days to relax, before we fly back to London." He smiled. "Oh, and we need to write post cards fo Amanda, Simon, Mark and Una and our parents. We haven't done that yet. Oh and Tim and Jamie as well. We really need to buy some cards tomorrow."

Ben nodded and put down his glass.  
"Oh yeah,you're right, we haven'T written any post crd yet. I probably would have missed it, if you wouldn't have mentioned it."  
"I just came to my mind now." Martin grinned. Do you wanted to go to Naples tomorrow? I mean, I don't care that much. I just would love to see Naples and the Vesuvius."Martin smiled.  
No. No. It's fine. Wednesday or Thursday are fine with me. I don't care when we will go, as long as it is not the last day. I really would love to spend the last day on the beach or at the pool."  
"Yeah, I agree with that, absolutely not on Saturday."  
"I mean Naples and the Vesuvius won't run away; we're flexible with the car. We can look when it's not too hot." Ben smiled. 

He grabbed his t-shirt and pulled it over his head.  
"What are you doing?" Martin asked, and looked to the t-shirt, that sailed onto the stone ground. His eyes followed ben again, who slid into the pool.  
"Swimming, isn't it obvious, Martin?" Ben smirked, hand reached his hand to Martin. "Come on, darling."  
Martin looked to Ben and bowed his head.  
"Do you really need to think about it? Ben grinned, and splashed water in Martins direction, who just wanted to pull the t-shirt over his head.  
"Heeey" Martin laughed, and pulled the wet t-shirt over his head and slid into the water. "A bit more patience, please." Martin grinned and came to him.  
Ben grinned, cupped Martins face and pressed him a kiss on the forehead.  
"It was just water, it willdry again."  
"Really, wouldn't have thought that." Martin said ironically, he grinned and pinched Ben softly.  
"Hmpf."

Martin broke apart with a grin; he swamto the other side ot the pool, laid his crossed arms onto the stone ground and laid his head on his arms.  
Ben smiled, er walked through the water, kissed Martin's shoulder once, before he laid his crossed arms onto the stone ground as well as his head on his arms. He trurned his head to Martin, looked at him.  
Martin beamed at him with warm eyes, and the smile on his face, was as warm and honest as his eyes.   
Benedict's stomach tingled. He smiled as Martin lovingly, blinked softly.  
"Benny?" Martin murmured with a low voice.  
"Martin?" Ben smiled, his eyes scanned Martins face attentively.   
"We have mentioned kids today. And,,, well, I would love to talk with you about kids, but not today or tomorrow... later... um, in a few weeks, or months. I don't want to sweep that under the rug, but... at first I would love to talk abput something else, about the step that should come next, before there is a child. Um, do you could imagine to move in with me? I mean, we don't need to move together immediately, but could you imagine to live with me, to move in with me? Um, into your house, or my house...or to search something new." Martin asked.

Ben bowed his head with a smile.  
"I can answer you that with a yes. Yes, I could imagine to move in with you. Um, but I wouldn't like to move into my house. I know, we both love the city, but I can understand why you have moved to the countryside a few years ago. I mean Potters Bar isn't a small village, isn't it. To be honest, I always felt more cozy and comfortable when we have been at your place. It's just more quiet. I wouldn't have a problem to move into your house. I love your house, and the garden, the surrounding, it's quiet. And I wouldn't have a problem to search something new with you. But I know, that you feel cozy and comfortable in Potters Bar as well, so why should we search a new house. Why should we go to a stressful time of searching a new house, to find something we both love, when we already have it. Two big moves, one of them, out of a house, that we both love, just to move into another house, because we have searched fo it together. That's nonsense, despite the face, you will tell me now, that you don't feel that comfortable at your home anymore." Ben smiled softly.

"I? No, no. I still love my house. I just didn't know, that you love it that much, that you feel like home at my place as well. We don't need to search something else, if you feel at home. As you say, it would be complete bullshit. And I don't feel the urge to waste my time for searching another house, although we both love my house." He smiled lovingly, raised his head; his hand caressed across Ben's back, which was underwater a bit, and he breathed a kiss on Ben's temple.  
"I will take care of my house in the next days. You know, what I want to take woith me and what I don't need any longer. And I could bring these things to you, bit by bit. The imagination to live with you is great. I mean, we're not that often at home, but it's nice to now, that it would be our home; that we're able to go to sleep together and to wake up together, when we're at home."

Martin rubbed his nose across Ben's temple, kissed him again.Ben sighed with closed eyes.  
"Is that okayfor you, when I just slowly bring my things to you,... bit by bit? Or do I need to do it much faster, because you want to break up with me during the Christmas?" Ben grinned softly with closed eyes, and he felt that martin was grinning as well.  
"No, don't worry. At the 26th December at the earliest. I want your Christmas presents, before I break up with you."   
Ben burst out into a hearty laugh, and martin kissed his temple softly and peaceable.  
"No. I'm just kidding, love." Martin murmured into Ben's ear. "We have enough time. I will never give you back, neither to the female world nor to another man. It's okay, when you take care ofyour house in peace, and it's okay when you bring your things to me. I mean, there are already a few thing from you any way, darling. It doesn't matter if you have moved in completely in September, October or November, or next year during summer. We have time. It's nice tonow that my house will be our house some day."  
Ben opened his eyes again; he turned is head a bit, breathed a kiss on Martin's lips.  
"Sounds like a good plan, little Martin. And I'm looking forward as well." He kissed him again. "Let's go out Martin, we can lie down on the sun loungers." Ben smiled.

Martin broke apart slowly; he nodded and pulled oneself out of the pool. Martin reached his hand down to Ben and helped him out.   
They walked to the sun loungers, which stand really close.  
They laid down, next to each other, on the back.  
Martin crossed his arms under his head; Ben's hands lay on his own stomach.   
They looked up the sky, one could see a few little stars, the moon; one could hear the sound of the sea, muffled music from the city, and the singing of the crickets.  
Martin closed his eyes, listend to all these sounds with Benedict for a while.

Benedict was the one who broke the silence again.  
He lay on his back, the eyes were cstill closed.  
"It's crazy in a way, isn't it? I mean us. Sometimes I'm still stunned, and afraid, to wake up and to notice that this was just a dream. That I'm suddenly at home or somewhere else in a hotel, that I'm in a bed, awake, and that I notice, that I still haven't told you, that I've fallen in love with you. It'S unbelievable, if I think abput last year. I was on vacation, and I texted you, that I'm lying at the pool,... you replied, that you would love to be with me, to see that. I thought you are joking around, but you just said the truth - you just meant it the way, I hoped you would mean it." He babbled.  
Martin let his eyes closed.  
"Oh right, you've sent me a picture. But one could just see your face, but I already knew your face very well."  
"You knew the rest quite well, too. You've seen me naked on the Sherlock set." Ben grinned.  
"Yeah, but at this time I wasn't that much interested in your naked body. So i haven't looked properly. And I wanted to have an exclusive picture." Martin grinned.  
"I think we have sent each other a lot of pictures and a lot of compliments." Ben smiled.

Martin smiled softly.  
"And we've phoned a lot, sometimes several hours. And atsome point we've just talked complete nonsense, because we didn't know what to say anymore and we didn't want to hang up. To be honest, sometimes I haven't listened properly, when we've started to talk about irrelevant things. I was too busy to think about a new topic and a new story, so that you wouldn't think about ending the call." Martin smiled widely. "We're really dumb and silly, aren't we? I mean, we've texted each other or phoned with each other everyday. We've sent us compliments...that the butt would look really good in these trousers. We've told each other that we miss the other one really much, that we can hardly wait to see each other again. Sometimes we just called each other to say good night. We have sent pictures, not from a meal or a set, it were selfies. Really, if we tell that someone, they will think we have our heads just to go to the barber shop."

Ben laughed; he still lay on his back, just like Martin.  
"Yeah. Actually, it was really obvious. I don't know why we haven't seen it."  
Martin grinned and nodded.  
"It's grotesque." Martin said.  
Silence again for a few minutes - until Martin opend his mouth again.  
"A short time after I've admitted it to myself, that I've fallen in love with you, we lay in my hotel bed... on our backs, just like now. I've told you, that I wanted to convince you of a Johnlockkiss..." He smiled, turned around, faced Ben. "Let's forget John and Sherlock." He smiled. "But can I convince you of a Ben and Martin kiss?" He smiled charmingly.  
Ben had turned to Martin, while his partner had talked. He laid his hand on Martin's cheek, slid closer and laid his head on Martin's sun lounger.  
"You don't need to persuade me to a kiss." He smiled into Martin's beaming face.  
"Fantastic, then please... kiss me." Martin murmured, he already closed his eyes slowly.

Ben's eyes closed slowly; his lips touched Martin's, carefully, just breathily - his lips moved gently, and Martin returned his kiss gently and carefully as well. Their kiss fell one's way, their lips moved with more pressure, more lovingly.   
Martin's hand cupped Ben's cheek.  
They kissed slowly and lovingly; their thumbs caressed their cheeks.  
The lips broke apart with a smacking noise, the hands still cupped the cheeks, their eyes stayed closed.  
"The last year had been absolutely emotional, for both of us. We have admitted that we love each other, we have flirted a lot, and at the same time we have tried to cut of all these feelings. The we have had a date, after we weren't able to cut of our feelings for each other. And that date ended with two love declarations. I'm absolutely thankful for the last year." Martin whispered against Ben's lips.

They eyelids fluttered open.  
They looked each other in the eyes, in which one could the the unconditionally love, the deep friendship and the big respect for each other.


	69. The Vesuvius

Martin sat with a short beige cargo pants, trainers and a black polo shirt next to Ben in the car. His arm hung out of the window, the sunglasses protected his eyes from the beaming sun; he watched the rush past landscape and listened to the music, which came out of the radio. At the moment they were driving to the Vesuvius, and they were already an hour on the road. Actually, they had wanted to set off at 9 o'clock, but they had been too lazy, and the morning sex in the shower hadn't helped to be on time. In the end it was shortly after 10 o'clock. If Martin was honest, he didn't care abput the time they had lost. The sex with Ben in the shower had been amazing, and the cuddling in bed beforehand as well. Whether they would be an hour later or earlier atthe Vesuvius wouldn't make any difference.

The last three days they had spent on the beach, they had been swimming, had played beach tennis; they had done a second bicycle tour, had relaxed, and they had strolled through the city. And they had eaten a lot; in these litte cafes, in the restaurants and of course, they had eaten a lot of ice cream - especially Benedict.  
Yesterday had been a summer feast, it was a special day for the people in Positano, and so all the shops hadn't been open, despite afes and restaurants and bars. On the beach had been a big party from the late evening until the early morning - with music and fireworks.   
Ben and Martin had been there, actually, they had just wanted to have a look, but in the end, they had been there much longer than expected. They had drunk a lot and had watched the fireworks, and they had danced with each other. It had been a lot of fun, and probably that summer party had been the reason, why they hadn't wanted to get up in the morning; the reason why cuddling, snuggling, sonogging, and sex in the shower, had been a much better option. 

Martin turned his head to Benedict, who was concentrated on the driving. He wore trainers as well, a dark blue short pants, and a grey shirt with an imprint. He also wore sunglasses, and the hair was tousles, because of the wind.  
Martin turned around more properly; he raised his hand, ran the fingers through the soft, slightly curly hair, which were auburn again. Ben's hair like that was his personal favourite, he loved them like this. His hand ran from the back of Ben's head through them again. He laid the hand on Ben's shoulder.

Ben turned his head around for a brief moment; he smiled and winked. He looked forward to the rest of the vacation, to the last three days, before they would fly back home on Sunday. As much he would love to stay longer, as much he looked forward to London and Potters Bar. Especially, the off-road tour was waitung for him. In one week time, he would speed through the dirt with one of the most successful and experienced Motocross driver.   
Martin had said he would bring him there and would watch him up in the evening again.   
The evening on the beach yesterday, he had enjoyed really much; Martin was an awesome dancer.

When they parked on the parking lot, which was located in 1000 meters high, they got out of the car.   
It was half past eleven, in half an hour time, the next tour would begin.  
They took the thin jackets, which had been an advice in the travel book; and Martin took the backpack as well. They had made some sandwiches.  
Martin walked to Ben, handed him one of the sandwiches and took one as well.   
The view was amazing; and the weather was so good, that one had the feeling, one would be able to look a 1000 kilometers far.  
They bought ticktes, chewed their sandwiches and walked along the gravel path, which led them to the start of the tour.  
Later they would walk 90 minutes.

Martin took the water bottle out of the backpack, he drank, handed it Ben, and when he was finished, he put the bottle back into the backpack, and put on his thin jacket.   
Actually, it was fresher than in Positano this morning, it was almost a bit cold. Even Benedict had put on the thin jacket.  
"Do you want another sandwich?", Martin asked with a soft and gentle smile.  
"Yeah, that would be great." He smiled to Martin.  
Martin fished another sandwich out of the backpack.  
"I think, it's some of your sandwiches. It looks like ham." Martin said, and handed Ben the sandwich.   
Ben took it with a smile, unpacked it, and put the sandwich paper into his pants pocket.   
"It's not ham... it's turkey breast." Ben smiled, and bit into it.  
"It's almost the same. It's both meat, and so it's definitely not one of mine." Martin grinned, and grabbed the paper out of Ben's pants pocket.  
"Hmhm?" Ben hummed, while he was chewing.  
"There's a dustbin.", Martin smiled, and pointed to the end of the gravel path, where one could see the dustbin, a few people and the tour guide.   
They had reached the starting point shortly before the tour had started.  
Martin had eaten a second sandwich as well.  
The brisk air at his naked calves was great, even so he was happy about the thin jacket - without it, he probably would have been cold- even so the sun was beaming and burning down to them.

 

They had done the first stage, they had reached the crater of the Vesuvius; and they were rewarded with an amazing view across the Bay of Naples, and the deep crater of the Vesuvius.  
Martin supported himself on his knees with his hands, he gasped and panted.  
"Bloody hell. Either I'm too old or not fit enough." He gasped, buten even Ben next to him, needed to take a few deep breathes.  
The way up had been exhausting.   
Martin opened his jacket, he needed some fresh air.   
And they weren't the only one who needed to gasp and pant. Some of them took already pictures and selfies.   
Ben had opened his jacket, too.  
"Both, Martin. Old and not fit enough." Ben grinned; he patted Martins shoulder and pinched his little tummy.   
"Shut your fucking mouth, Benedict. Just shut the fuck up, once. Otherwise you can walk down the whole way, I'm the one with the backpack and the kay for the car." Martin said in a serious voice, but as soon as the words had left his mouth, he needed to grin.

He wasn't angry with Ben, because of his sassy and evil comments; whether he made fun of his age, his fitness, or his little tummy. He had never been mad with him, because of one of these comments. He loved to fool around with Ben, he loved to squabbling with him; and he made fun of Ben as well, more often, more sassy and naughty.  
"Then I will take the bus." Ben laughed, and shrugged his shoulders.  
"As if someone would pick you up, Cumberbatch." Martin grinned.  
Ben grinned cheekily.  
"Come on, leave me alone." Ben laughed, and squeezed Martins shoulder.

Ben turned around to the crater, he walked to it, took his mobile phone out of the thin jacket, and took a few pictures.  
Martin grinned; he took the backpack, fished Ben's camera and the water bottle out of it, and walked to the other side. He looked to the Bay of Naples, the camera dangled around his neck. He took a few sips from the water, and the he enjoyed the view.  
He took a few pictures with Ben's cam.

Two hands slid into his pants pocktes, a cheek leaned against his hair, lips kissed his temple.   
Martin closed his eyes, sighed with relish.  
"It was a great idea to come here." Ben smiled.  
"The view is amazing, isn't it? It's a great reward for that horrible climbing."  
"Absolutely." he kissed Martins temple again - twice.   
"Do you wantto take pictures from the crater with your camera? And do you want to drink something?" Martin asked.  
Ben nodded agains Martin's temple. He took his hands out of Martin'S pants pockets, who turned around, smiled, and handed him the water bottle.   
Benedict took a large sip, before he closed the bottle, and walked with Martin to the crater again.  
They took a few pictures - with the camera and with their mobile phones.   
Martin sent Amanda a selfie.

They way down was more exhausting, not for the lung, but for the legs and knees.   
The paths were rough and uneven, it was difficult to walk on it.   
Ben took a deep breath when they reached the parking lot again. He slipped out of his jacket.  
"I need the loo." He smiled, and reached Martin his jacket, who had reached out his hand with a smile.  
Martin waited at the car, had already put in the jackets and the backpack.  
When Ben was back from the loo, they drove to Naples.

They needed to drive almost an hour, and then they would need to find a parking lot. Probably they would be in Naples at 3 o'clock.  
Ben looked forward to a coffee, the beach, the strolling through the city. In the evening they wanted to eat dinner in Naples, before they would drive back to Positano.  
"I shall greet you from Amanda." Martin smiled, and unwrapped Ben's last sandwich.  
"Ah, has she already replied?"  
"Yeah, she said that in London is much better weather than the last days. She has this Sherlock interview with Mark today. Mark says hello aas well." Martin smiled, and handed Ben the unwrapped sandwich.  
"Great, I hope the weather will be good in a few days as well, I don't want to come back, and rain is welcoming me back." He smiled and took the sandwich. "Thanks, love."  
Martin nodded, smiled and unwrapped his sandwich.  
"You're welcome, honey. And rain would be really shitty. I hope you will have great weather next thursday."

When they reached Naples, they searched for a free parking lot and found a car park in the end.   
They strolled to the beach, sat down in a nice cafe, enjoyed a ice cream bowl and a coffee. They strolled along the beach, they feet ran through the warm and soft sand, trough the pleasant cold water.   
They trip led them away from the beach, into the city of Naples; through the alleyways, along tightly packed houses, along cafes, along the amount of shops.  
In the evening, their grumbling stomaches led them to a pizza parlour on the markeplace. They enjoyed their pizzas with a glass of wine, enjoyed their evening with a good conversation, until there was space for some dessert in their stomaches again.

Their tired legs led them back to the rented car.   
Martin had offered to drive back to Positano, and so Ben stretched out his legs and enjoyed the view.  
Both men were exhausted when they reached the house around midnight.  
Ben yawned heartily, he took the backpack and fished out the key.  
Martin followed Ben, who just dropped down the backpack in the hallway.  
"I just want to go to bed now." Ben yawned.  
"Do you take me with you?" Martin asked with a tired smile.  
"You? Hmh, yes. definitely yes." He smiled, and slipped out of his shoes.  
Martin slipped out of his shoes, too. He scuffed to the bed, ben followed.  
He put off the polo-shirt, slipped out of his socks and the cargo pants, and opened the window, befor he dropped down into the bed, where Ben was already lying.  
Martin rolled over to Ben, who had been slipped down in bed that much, that he was able to press is face against Martins chest.   
Martin smiled, wrapped his arms around Ben and kissed his hair.  
"Good night, Benny." He breathed with his warm voice.  
"Sleep well, little Martin." Ben murmured lovingly.

The last three days of their vacation would they just enjoy on the beach and at the pool.   
Relaxing.


	70. Under the blanket

Martin and Benedict were covered under the blanket.  
Martin was laughing.

Today was their last day, today they would fly back home to London.  
They still were lying in bed, were hidden beneath the thin blanket.  
After Martin hadn't been able to wake Benedict in a lovely way, he needed to use harder methods. He had tickled him until Ben had been awake, and after that they had jostled and had rolled through the bed.  
Benedict lay on the mattress and on top of him lay his partner Martin, who was still laughing. Ben pulled his lips to a thin line; he wasn't happy with the way Martin had woken him up, even if he had laughed really hard a minute ago - but he had just laughed because of all his very ticklish body parts. At least, he tried to pretend it, actually, he had laughed because it had been a lot of fun.  
Martin bent down and breathed him a kiss on the lips.  
"Don't look like a grumpy boy." Martin grinned. Ben hummed and grumbled, which made Martin grin even more. "I mean, I've tried... " He murmured during a second kiss. "... to wake you up in a lovely way... " He breathed him a kiss on the lips again. "... but you just didn't wake up." There was a smacking noise after the fourth kiss. "So, I needed to be a bit more clear."  
Ben sighed in resignation. He had closed his eyes after every single kiss from Martin.  
"Why we have to stand up now, anyway?"  
"We don't have to."  
"What? Why are you waking me up then?" Ben asked, closed his eyes again, and wanted to shove Martin off of his body, to go on with sleeping.  
"Hey." Martin grumbled softly. He snuggled on top of him again, shoved the blanket a side - a bit. "Don't be such a grumpy git. I just wanted to cuddle with you for a while and have a nice and cozy breakfast, before we will drive to the airport."

Ben opened one eye, watched Martin.  
Martin smiled at him warmly, his eyes beamed lovingly.  
Ben opened the second eye, when Martin cupped his face.  
Martin bent down, rubbed his nose across Benedict's. His eyelids fluttered shut slowly, his lips captured Ben's soft lips. Ben closed his eyes as well; he sighed when he felt Martin's gentle lips - and he enjoyed his soft kiss. A second sigh was to hear, when Martin broke apart again.   
They both opened their eyes, and Ben looked at Martin with begging and pleading eyes. He needed more of those soft kisses, more of Martins caresses.  
Martin's eyes still beamed with love and longing.  
Ben needed to swallow hard, his heart was beating very fast, and his stomach tingled like mad.

Martin bent down again; he smiled, he rubbed his cheek tenderly across Ben's scratchy cheek, from the ear to the mouth. He breathed a kiss on Ben's lips, and let his cheek rub across Ben's right scratchy cheek - from the ear to the mouth. His eyes were closed, he purred and sighed; he enjoyed the scratching and tingling of Ben's beard. He repeated that procedure slowly and with relish, breathed a kiss on Ben's lips every time he passed his lovely mouth.   
Benedict had closed his eyes; he already melted away, even so they hadn't begun properly.

Martin's cheek disappeared as well as his lips. It was just a brief moment, before his lips kissed softly Benedict's nose. His lips wandered from the nose to the left cheek, to the ear; they kissed across Ben's neck, along the shoulder, down to his left arm; he distributed tender kisses on all fingers, on all fingertips, on the back of Ben's hand, and the palm of his hand.  
Ben purred; he pressed his head into the pillow; his eyelids fluttered shut, and he rolled his eyes in relish behind closed eyelids. He whispered Martins name like a mantra.  
There was a brief moment, when Martin's lips didn't touch any body part of Benedict.  
But then Ben could feel them again - now on his hips, right above his boxer brief.   
Familiar and loved lips kissed their way to his upper body - upwards to his left nipple. A tongue licked gently across the nipple, teeth bit into it carefully, before the lips kissed the nipple twice.  
Ben's heart was racing like mad, and his stomach was tingling like mad as well. He wasn't able to calm down.   
He moaned with arousal, when Martin kissed his Adam's Apple, sucked at it, and kissed his way to the lips again.  
He got a French kiss, which made forget him everything; the kiss shut off his mind; his body was tingling, every part Martin had kissed.   
He wasn't able to say anything, even Martins name didn't come over his lips.  
Martin was a really awesome kisser, but he until now he had never gave him a kiss like that.

His nose was captured by Martin's lips again; the lips kissed his right cheek, down to his neck, along his shoulder, across his arm. Martin's lips kissed his fingers, fingertips, the back of the hand and the palm of the hand. He distributed kisses on Ben's hip, downwards his upper body to the right nipple. And the tongue licked across it, the teeth bit into it, and the lips kissed it lovingly.  
Jesus, he hoped, that this wasn't a dream.

As soon as he has the feeling, that at least the easiest sounds could leave his mouth, Martin gave him a breathtaking French kiss again. It made him speechless.  
Blue eyes beamed at him with love.   
Two hands shoved down his boxer briefs.  
Lips smiled at him lovingly.  
And Ben could just look at Martin, with an open mouth - speechless.   
But his eyes were beaming, and they expressed all the things he couldn't speak out.

Desire. Love. Affection. Arousal. Passion. Trust. Belonging. Devotion.

Martin's hand ran softly and gently through Ben's hair. He smiled, he didn't want to ruin that moment with words - they weren't necessary.  
He ran his hands across Ben's chest; he could feel the goose bumps.  
Ben closed his eyes again.  
And Martin's lips kissed his twitching erection.  
He was really hard; he had become that hard, just from Martin's kisses and his soft caresses. And now he kissed his right thigh, his shin bone, his inner thigh upwards - and Ben already could moan for release, if he would be able to form a noise.   
Either he would die in the next seconds because of a heart attack or he would wake up from a fucking hot and wet dream - and then he would grab Martin and fuck him.  
None of these scenarios happend, when Martin kissed his really hard erection again, down to his left tight, down to the shine bone, and upwards along his inner thigh.  
Ben's head told him, that he could come just from these kisses if Martin would go on with it, and for that he wouldn't even need kisses on his erection.

His heart pounded against his rib cage; he didn't wake up, and Martin didn't release him, instead of that, Martin stopped.  
Martin knelt between his legs, pulled his own boxer brief down, and released his own throbbing erection, which popped up immediately. His hands stroked across Ben's thighs, massaged them.  
And spread his legs even more.  
He pressed his head into the pillow, clawed and tugged at the sheets. He moaned silently, when Martin's hands massaged his butt, and down to his thighs again.  
The hands disappeared, and Martin leaned his body to the bedside drawer. He took the lube; Benedict's eyes followed him. Martin turned his head to him; he smiled, bent down and captured Ben's lips for one of these breathtaking French kisses.

This was the end; he had lost his skill to speak, and probably he would never be able to speak again.   
He gave himself to Martin. His heart still beat, for a brief moment he had thought that it stand still. But it just raced that fast, that he didn't notice the single beats.

Martin knelt between his legs again; he opened the bottle, took a bit of lube and put the bottle aside. He kissed Ben's belly, and his forefinger caressed across Ben's entrance; he rubbed across it, and let his finger slide into the tight hole.  
Ben angled his legs; his knees were weak, and his legs were already shaking. His mouth hung open, but not a single moan made a noise.  
Martins finger opened him up softly and slowly; sometimes he rubbed tenderly across the prostate. And it seemed that Martin enjoyed it as much as Benedict.  
The second finger let Benedict claw and tug at the sheets even more; his head was pressed into the pillow, his back was arched, his legs were shaking. He moved his hips with Martins finger; laid a hand above his eyes, and he bit into that hand, when he felt the third finger right up in his arse.

He just stopped his hips movements, when Martins fingers disappeared and he heard the clicking noise from the lube bottle. He ran his hand through his hair.  
Martin stroked himself in pleasure and relish; he titled his head back, closed his eyes and opened his mouth, but not a single noise escaped his mouth.   
The silence turned him on, it was erotically and arousing, it mad that moment with Ben special.

He supported himself with one hand next to Ben, the other arm ran under Ben's back of the head.   
They both moaned silently, pushed their heads in the neck, when Martin slid slowly into Ben's tight and wet hole.  
Ben wrapped his legs around Martin, pressed him closer. One hand wandered to Martin's butt, clawed at it, the other one tugged Martin's hair.  
Martin bent down, he locked eyes with Ben. He moved lovingly and intense, searched with Ben for the right rhythm for this moment.  
They found him, when their movements became more intense, more gently.   
Martin eyes were black seas, he was massively aroused.  
Ben's eyes were as black as Martins; he rolled his eyes in relish.  
And Martin kissed him again. A breathtaking French kiss, which had shut off all functions in Ben's head. His brain was just able to tell his hips, that he should stay in this particular rhythm. His hand massaged Martin's butt, the other one tugged still at his grey hair.  
He loved these kisses, could feel Martins Hand in his hair as well - he was tugging at it. The other Hand clawed at the sheet next to Ben's shoulder.   
Ben's legs and hand pressed Martin even closer.  
And with Martins soft, intense and deep thrust, which hit sometimes Ben's prostate, they came nearer and nearer to their orgasm.  
They kissed and just broke apart for taking a deep breath and silent moans, before they kissed each other again.

They broke apart abruptly, gasped and panted for air.  
Martin hand ran out of Ben's hair, he wanted to give him release, he wanted to touch his erection, but the first slightest breathy touch, made Ben come immediately. Martin felt the clenching ring muscle around his cock. He almost lost it, the feeling was awesome.  
Ben's hands tugged even more at Martin's hair and his butt, during his orgasm. His eyes were closed, his mouth hung open, his back war arched.  
Martin punched the sheet with big arousal; and then he tugged with both hands at the sheet next to Ben's shoulders, during he felt Ben's orgasm, during he felt the clenching ring muscle around his cock in that tight and wet hole, during he felt the cum.  
He was thrusting into Ben softly, his orgasm ran through his body as well. He shivered in relish.  
Ben's hands stopped the tugging, it became a soft massage. His legs sank down onto the mattress, were shaking like mad.  
Martin's eyes were still closed, he swallowed.  
And Ben enjoyed the feeling when Martin slid out.

Martin laid his forehead against Ben's, his nose rubbed across Ben's, his eyes still beamed with love and affection, and his lips smiled as warmly as possible.  
And the voice that left his throat expressed the same affection, the same love.  
"Someone was really speechless." Martin said warmly.  
"Martin... " Ben breathed with a hoarse voice. He swallowed, locked eyes with Martin. "What.... what was that... ?" He murmured lovingly,  
"I just wanted to show you how much I love you." Martin smiled and blinked softly.  
"That,... um, well,... that worked out really good. More than that."

A soft kiss was placed on Ben's nose.  
Martin rolled to the side, wrapped his arms around Ben, and hugged him. Safely.

 

At 2 o'clock in the afternoon their airplane started; it rolled across the runway, pulled the heavy nose up in the air.  
Yesterday that had said goodbye to Mario, they had exchanged Mail accounts, had drunk a coffee and bought a few thing for their parents, and Mario had given him some of the red wine.  
Martin sat next to the window, the headphones hung around his neck.   
Benedict was sitting next to him, the headphone hung around his neck as well. He has stretched out his long legs and turned his head to Martin.   
And Martin turned his head to him.  
They smiled at each other.  
The plane sank down a bit, they had reached the sky, the clouds beneath them. It turned around, faced his route to London.  
"In a few hours we're at home again." Ben smiled, took Martin's hand.  
"No. I was at home the whole time. Home is where you are." Martin breathed with a warm voice, and squeezed Ben's hand.

Speechlessness.


	71. Back home

London had them back.  
They had landed in London in the early evening. As always, photographers had been at the airport, and they had photographed them a few times. Martin and Benedict had smiled briefly, they had raised their hands, and then they took the first cab they had got.  
The fly back had been pleasant; they had heard music; Benedict had looked through the vacation photos on his mobile phone; Martin had solved a few riddles in a magazin - at first alone, and then Benedict had joined him.

The Sunday evening they had spent at Benedict's place, and while Ben had unpacked his bags, Martin had called his parents and Benedict's parents, to tell them that they were back. They had spent their evening on the sofa, had talked their vacation, had looked through all their holiday photos on their mobile phones and Ben's camera.  
On Monday they had been at Wanda's and Tim's place for lunch. In Italy they had bought them a few different pesto flavours - from Mario. Ben's parents had been really happy.  
Martin had enjoyed the lunch and the rest of the afternoon with Ben and his parents. The lunch and the rest of the afternoon had been really cozy; they had talked about their vacation, had looked through the pictures, and they had enjoyed their food. In the afternoon they had enjoyed a coffee and a piece of cheesecake on the terrace.   
In the evening they had driven to Martin's parents, which had dished a nice dinner - and they had been as curious as Ben's parents about the vacation and some pics.   
It had been almost midnight, when they had driven back to London - totally glutted.

The Tuesday and Wednesday they had spent mostly seperated from each other.  
But the Wednesday evening they had spent together at Martin's place. Martin had organized a few thing in the last two days, he had met his brother Tim, and otherwise he had just relaxed. In the next week he would rehearse for a new play.

 

Today was Thursday, and they were eating breakfast at the moment. Benedict spooned his cereals, while Martin bit into his toast and read the newspaper.  
"When do we have to go, Martin?" Benedict looked to Martin.  
Martin raised his head. He looked to Ben.  
"We need an hour,... and we shall be there at 10 o'clock." Martin smiled, and looked down to his watch. "So we should leave in half an hour."  
"Okay, will you wait there or are you driving back?" Ben asked softly.  
"I think, I will rather drive back. I mean you're busy almost 7 hours. So, I will drive back and work a bit at home, and then I will fetch you up, when you're dirty and sweaty." Martin grinned.  
"As long as you don't forget me." Ben grinned.  
"I don't want to get rid of you, Benedict." Martin smiled, he pointed to Bens cereals. "You should eat, love, before we have to go. Do you want more coffee?" He asked  
Ben bowed his head, he looked into his empty coffee mug, raised his head again und nodded.  
"That would be lovely." He smiled softly.  
Martin smiled, he stood up, walked to Ben and took his mug; he bent down, kissed his hair, and then he walked through the living room into the kitchen.

Ben ate his cereals, he turned the newspaper a bit around and read a few things.   
Martin made him his second coffee, already added two pieces of sugar. He walked back to Ben, put the mug down beside him and sat down again.   
Ben smiled to him.  
"Thank you, sweetheart. Tomorrow I'm the whole day busy with a photoshooting and an interview, have I told you that?"  
"Yeah, you have told me that, darling. On Monday, when you have get the call." Martin smiled.  
"I wasn't really sure about it." Ben scratched his back of the head.  
"You don't have to tell me everything, Ben. I mean, we have said, that we will see us tomorrow in the evening. I will meet Simon, in the afternoon. But I'm back in the evening. You have a key, love, so you can make yourself comfortable if I shouldn't be back." Martin smiled softly.  
"Okay, so greet him. At what time will you be back?" Ben asked gently.  
"I will do it. Um, I don't know, but if you want you can join us after your photoshoot an the interview. I mean, we're in London too." Martin smiled, and ate his toast.  
"Okay, I will write you or call you when I'm done with the interview - if I will join you two, or rather drive to Potters Bar."  
Martin smiled und nodded.

After their breakfast they drove to the meeting point.  
Benedict was really excited, and he got more exciting with each kilometer they drove. Since his birthday he really looked forward to it.   
Martin was happy as well, because it seemed that he had fulfilled a big wish. It was lovely to see Ben beam like that. In the end, he rather gave then to receive presents. The beaming eyes and the wide smile were enough for him.  
The three men talked a bit, before Martin drove back to Potters bar.

 

When Benedict got in the car to Martin a few hours later, he seemed to be happier than before. At least his whole face showed a really big smile, and the eyes beamed even more.  
Martin looked to him with a loving smile; his eyes looked warmly in Benedict's eyes; he caressed across Ben's thigh.  
"I would say that you have had a great day." Martin'S eyes beamed as well.  
"It was perfect. In the end it got a bit exhausting, but it was just great. Thank you, Martin. Thank you for that really amazing birthday gift. I mean... thank you for the total package. It was fun, all of it. I really loved the vacation with you, and the motorcycle tour with you was lovely as well, and the today was a perfect end of it." He smiled across the whole face.  
Martin smiled, he raised his hand, ran it through Ben's wet hair.   
Ben had cleaned up a bit, he had given back the dirty clothes and they had talked a bit until he had seen Martin with the car.  
"It's great that you liked it that much Ben. It's lovely to know that I was able to make you happy with it." He smiled, and played with Ben's strands.

Ben beamed at him, he cupped Martin's cheek and leaned in. He kissed his lips lovingly. Martin closed his eyes, his hand wandered downward to Ben's shoulder, he returned the kiss gently.   
They broke apart, smiled at each other; Martin squeezed Ben's shoulder.  
"I've ordered some takeaway to you. So we can eat together, enjoy a bit of the evening, and then I will drive back to Potters Bar. I thought about a nice dinner in a nice restaurant, but I didn't know if you would have loved to go out."  
"It was the right decision. I would really love to be lazy on the sofa, instead of sitting in a restaurant. What have you ordered?" He smiled.  
"To be honest, I'm to lazy for a restaurant as well. It's Indian takeaway."  
"Oh, that's great. I'm looking forward to it." He said, and his stomach agreed with a loud rumble.

Ben and Martin grinned at each other.  
Martin pointed to the glovebox.  
"Open it, honey."   
Ben looked at him, he sat down properly and opened the glovebox. He put out a bag from a bakery and a bottle of water. He looked into the bag.  
A ham sandwich and a donut.   
He smiled, and turned his head to Martin again.   
"Thank you, Martin."  
"You're welcome, Benny. I thought you would be hungry, and well, I ordered the takeaway for later, I didn't know how long we would need to drive back to London."  
Ben took the sandwich, he beamed at Martin.  
"Then I enjoy the appetiser." Ben winked.  
"Enjoy it. And when your mouth isn't filled up with the sandwich, I really would love to hear more about your day." Martin winked as well.

Ben had just bit into the sandwich, he nodded with a full mouth, and he grinned widely.


	72. Half past seven and your life changed

6.45 pm - the time, which lit up in the cab, which Martin had got in with almost a jump a few seconds ago.

The cabbie turned his head around and smiled at Martin.  
"Your destination, Sir?"  
Martin wasn't able to smile back. His heart pounded fast and heavily against his rib cage. The hands were sweaty and ice cold. A unpleasant feeling had spread out in his stomach, it lay like a heavy and unmoveable rock in it. His head buzzed. The eyes were dull, they had lost every depth, every warmth, and every colour - they were dead. His lips lay on each other, the corners of the mouth hung downwards. He was tied up in knots, was sitting uncomfortable on the back seat.  
He heard himself speaking with a fragile and weak voice.  
"Royal London Hospital."  
His shaking hands ran through his hair, afterwards with a lot of pressure across his thigh.  
"As fast as possible." Martins voice left his throat in an unfamiliar tone.  
He held his shaking hands, kneaded them.

6.47 pm - when they finally set off.

When he woke up this morning - alone, and he canceled the breakfast, which Benedict had suggested spontaneously via WhatsApp, he wouldn't have thought that he would regret it later that much.  
In the morning, Benedict had asked him, if he was awake and if he wanted to go for a breakfast, before he would have his appointment with Vogue. He had been awake, and he would have loved to go for a breakfast with Ben, but he hadn't expected to see Benedict before this evening. And so he had excepted Amandas breakfast question last night, when he had been back from London.  
He just could have go with Amanda to London, probably Benedict would have loved to see Amanda as well. But instead of that, he had canceled the breakfast with Ben, had written, that he already was appointed for a breakfast, but that he would look forward for this evening - for later.  
Later. Potters Bar. Home.  
Later. London. Simon - Founders Arms.  
Not later - in the Royal London Hospital.

He kneaded his hands.  
The cabbie had told him, that it probably would take them twentyfive minutes.  
He looked to the time display, normally they should be there every moment, at least that told him his inner sense of time.  
But the time display showed - 6.48 pm.  
His eyes stayed locked with the time display; he has a lump in his throat; his eyes were wet; he swallowed, and his head repeated the same words over and over again. Words, which made the lump in his throat even bigger, and which made his eyes even wetter.  
I canceled the breakfast. Serious motorcycle accident.

The red beaming eight turned to a nine - 6.49 pm

 

During the breakfast, Amanda had thanked Martin over and over again for the lovely post card, which had finally arrived on Wednesday. They had talked with each other about the last weeks, the vacation and they had watched the holiday photos.  
Amanda had been delighted; she would have loved to get into a plane immediately, and Martins stories had made her wish even bigger. She had shown him the picture of him and Ben and the two ladies from the ice cream shopt, which had been retweeted a lot, as well as the pictures from the gate in London with some other fans.  
The Daily Mail had also printed a few pictures as well as a short report. It were the two pictures they had made, when Martin and Ben had been back.  
Amanda and Martin had enjoyed their morning, before Martin had driven back home after lunch.

At the moment he was sitting with Simon in the Founders Arms in London A pub, which opened his doors in the morning for a nice brunch, afterwards a tasty lunch, and at the end of the day for a delicious dinner. The pub was located on the south side of the Thames, and just a little step away from it - between the Milleniums Bridge and the Blackfriars Bridge. The view was great, a view across the Thames, the London Skyline and the St. Pauls Catherdrale.  
The weather was fantastic, even so, it wasn't warm and hot like in Italy, but the sky was the same. Sun, a blue sky, without any clouds.  
Martin sat on the terrace of the pub with dark blue jeans, a light short shirt, sneakers and his sunglasses.  
Simon sat opposite of him. His colleague and friend wore as well as Martin a short shirt, jeans, sneakers and sunglasses.  
They had just drank a few drinks since they had sat down: They wanted to wait with the food until Ben would write them, if he would drive back to Potters Bar or if he would come to the pub.

Martin leaned comfortably in his chair and sipped at his water.  
"What have you done the last weeks?" Martin asked.  
"I couldn't do that much. I had a lot of appointments, that's why Maureen and Matilda had done a lot on their own. But we've visited Maureens familiy in Scotland over the weekend, and I was in the Zoo with Matilda. Oh, and we've made a little bicycle tour together. But well, the good weather just started two weeks ago. Matilda had been visiting her friends, and two of them have had birthday in the last three weeks, soshe have had a few sleep overs. Oh, and I shall greet uncle Martin."  
"What? No kiss this time?" Martin smirked.  
"Of course there's a kiss for uncle Martin. Do you want me to kiss you?" Simon grinned.  
"I just take the delivery from Matilda." Martin grinned.  
"Pff. Apropos, she would love to know when she will see you again, and when Ben celebrated his birthday, and if she's allowed to come, and she talked about a trip with you and Ben. She really misses you." Simon smiled.  
"I miss her too. Um, well. I'm really busy with learning and the rehearsals for the theatre play during the week, and I already have a few appointments on the weekends. But I think, we will find a day. And we haven't planned the birthday party, yet - we thought about the next weeks, when the weather will still be this good. We thought about Barbecue." Martin smiled.  
"No hurry, she will see you and Ben at the birthday party. And Barbecue sounds great. With your parents?"  
"No, we wanted to invite them for dinner. We just wanted to invite you and Maureen und Matilda and Amanda for the Barbecue. And some the others aren't available."

Simon nodded, he sipped his beer and looked to the Thames. His gaze flickered across it and then back to Martin again.  
They smiled at each other.  
"By the way, thank your for the post card. It was in the mail today." He smiled. "What was the meaning of this strange little man, or to be precise, the two little strange and weird men?"  
Martin laughed, and ran his fingers through his hair.  
"That's a drawing of Ben.  
"Great,... well, but what am I supposed to see in this drawing? It's a man with closed eyes and the hand his in front of his mouth. And the other one looks at me and raised his hand. And there was something on the hand." Simon grinned broadly.  
"Lips, or to be precise a kissing mouth. But you know, a post csard isn't that big, so it was a but difficult. It's a blown kiss. You know, first he kisses his hand, then he blew and then the kiss is send."  
They both laughed heartily.  
"Oh that's great. I will have a closer look at home again. You've write too much, so there wasn't enough space for his lovely drawing."  
"Shut the fuck up, Simon. A few years ago, I've just written that the weather is great, and you told me that this was not enough." He grinned, and pointed with his finger at Simon. "I didn't know that there's suddenly a law for a word limit on post cards."  
"Well, but that a few years ago was really a bit too little." Simon grinned.  
"Next year you can give me a note with some information about the amount of words, the colour and the type size." Martin grinned, and showed him the bird afterwards.

Simon grinned widely and raised his eybrow.  
"Would you like to spend your next vacation there again?" Simon smiled again.  
"I would love to. I wouldn't mind if we would visit Positano again and again. It was great, all of it; the house, the beach, the city, the surroundings, the view. I mean, we don't have to visit it next year again, but I would love to visit Positano again someday." Martin smiled.  
"I know waht you mean. I mean, all the pictures looked amazing." He smiled. "How is it with Ben?"  
"What do you mean? If he would love to go there as well?"  
"Yeah, that, and if there's something new." He said curiously.  
"To your first question... " He grinned through his sunglasses. "He would love to visit Positano again. Und question numer two... " Martin smiled. "It's lovely and nice as always. I'm really happy to have him at my side like this. He's a great partner. And well, we've talked about moving in together."  
Simon smiled.  
"Oh that's sounds really great. It's amazing how much time had passed since New Year's Eve, since I know it. It's eight month ago, four you two nine month. Do oyu have the feeling that you're together since nine month?"  
Martin shook his head with a smile.  
"No, not really, if I'm honest. It's always like this, isn't it. When something is really good, you have the feeling the time pass by really fast. But what feels long is the time Ben need to text, if he's coming or not." He smirked, and pulled his mobile phone out of his jeans pocket - 6.01 pm.  
There wasn't a message.  
Martin bowed his head, Ben hadn't been online since a while as well.  
He typed a short message and put the phone down onto the table.  
"I've texted him, maybe the appointment isn't over yet, or he's talking with someone, or he has just forget to write." Martin said, and looked at his watch. "It should be over since 5 o'clock.  
"When he has just forget it, then he will be here in a few minutes, or he will write you that he's at your place." Simon smiled.

A few minutes later, both men turned and a lot of other guests on the terrace turned their heads to the Thames, they looked across the water to the other riverside.  
One could hear the dull an low sounds of a few different sirens.  
The siren of an ambulance was the first one, after that the warning signal from the fire brigade. One could hear the fade away sound of the sirens, and then the police siren yowled across the Thames.

Silence.

Martin turned his head to Simon again, who looked worried.  
"That sounded really bad. It sounded like a really big accident."  
"I agree with you." Martin nodded.

A few minutes passed by. Simon ordered a coffee and a water, and Martin ordered a beer.  
And again, one could hear the siren of the ambulance.  
Martin leaned back against the chair again, he raised his glass and sipped.  
Simon put the milk and the sugar into his coffee, and opened the cookie package. He put the cookie into his mouth, and grinned to Martin, who grinned as well and showed him blown up hamster cheeks.  
Simon chewed grinningly and sipped at his coffee.  
"Well, honestly... I get really hungry." He said, and looked to the empty coockie package.  
"Yeah, me too. We could order a snack and then we eat later with Ben properly." Martin said, and put down his beer.  
"That's a good idea. A sandwich would be enough for the moment."  
"Yeah, come on, let's have a look." Martin nodded.

When Simon took the menu card, Martins mobile phone vibrated onto the table. It was shortly after half past seven.  
Simon looked up, while Martin sat up and took the phone. He wrinkled his forehead.  
Benedict's father.  
He looked surprised, in some way he has a bad feeling in his stomach, and he couldn'T even say why. It wasn't the first time that Timothy called him.

 _"Timothy?!"_  
 _"Martin, hello."_ Timothy said sadly, his voice wasn't as warm and happy as usually.  
Alarm bells started ringing in Martin's head. He sat up straight, tense. Something wasn't right here.  
 _"We... we got a call from the police a few minutes ago. Benedict... he, he... there was a serious motorcycle accident. They bring him to the Royal. We're already on our way."_  
Martin's eyes went big. Simon looked at him and bowed his head.  
 _"What, what happened? Tim, what... what means serious?"_  
 _"Um, he... he seemed to have overturn with the motorcycle. Another car had bumped into him... he wasn't conscious. The man hadn't said much, Martin. He didn't want to say it at the phone. He... he just said that he's on his way to the Royal. Someone is wiating there for us. Are you at home, Martin?"_  
 _"I,... no, no,... I'm with Simon in London. I'm on my way. Royal, right?"_  
 _"Yes, see you Martin. Please don't hurry, be carefull."_  
 _"Hm. Yes. See you, Tim."_

He put down the phone.  
Simon sat up straight in his chair as well. The combination: What happened, serious and Royal; didn't sound great. On top of that Benedict's absence and the sirens. I had a bad feeling.  
Martin raised his head, he looked at SImon, was really pale, blinked a few times.  
"Ben. Ben had a serious accident with... with his motorcycle. I... he... " Martin swallowed hard, he stood up. "I didn't even know that he took the motorcycle this morning." He ran his hands through his hair nervously and widely.  
Simon looked at him in shock, his face was grey.  
He scanned Martin, his heart raced; they had heard all the sirens bacause of Benedicts accident. He didn't know what to say. He stood up, looked to Martin, who shoved his hand into his trouser pocket.  
Simon pulled him into a tight hug. He hugged him tightly and gently.  
"Martin! You don't have to pay. It's on me. Go and drive to your hubby,... and please, Martin,... please text me later, yeah? Will you do that, my friend?"  
Martin just nodded, he was stiff, looked at Simon with his pale and shocked face.

 

6.44 pm - held the cab, which would drive him to Benedict.


	73. Benedict

_"Morning, Benny. Basically, breakfast with you sounds really attractive, but I need to cancel it. I'm already appointed for a breakfast with Amanda, and I'm almost on my way to her. I'm really sorry, love. Have fun today, and I'm looking forward to this evening. I will write you later, where we are, if you want to join us later. I love you sweetheart. Sorry again, we will go for a nice and cozy breakfast tomorrow morning."_ \- Martin, 9.05 am - Fryday

Benedict replied, and then he stood up and wentto his bathroom. That Martin wouldn't come over for a breakfast wasn' bad, it had just been an idea. In the evening they would see each other anyway, maybe in London with Simon, or at the lastest in Potters Bar.  
He showered peacefully, dressed up and made himself a little breakfast.  
He was appointed with Vogue, for a photo shooting and an interview, at 11 o'clock. They wanted to meet each other in the headquarters in London, and after a little smalltalk, they wanted to drive to the location,and after that they would drive back to the editorial office.

His gaze flickered to the window.  
The weather was great; the sun was beaming, a few white clouds were hovering above London, but if you believe the weather report, they will be gone throughout the day. And during the next days, the weather would be that good as well, said the happy voice of the radio host.  
Ben scratched his head, probably he would be much faster with the tube, normally you're everytime faster with the tube. Londons street were full with cars and cabs and busses, and it doesn't matter when you're on the road, it's full anyway. And on top of that all the construction zones.  
But the good weather was just to attractive to drive with the tube instead of the motorcycle. And if he really would join Martin and Simon later this evening, he could drive home again, changing the motorcycle and taking the car, so that Martin could drive with him to Potters Bar.

The decision was easy - motorcycle.  
He packed a backpack with casual clothes for the interview, and with the bad for the weekend, he packed the backpack into the suitcase of the motorcycle. Would he drive to Potters Bar after his appointment, the bad would be already with him.  
He pulled over his motorcycle clothes, pulled the helmet over his head, slipped into the gloves, and then he drove off to the Vogue editorial office.

 

Of course he had needed much longer than with the tube; the amount of traffic lights, vehicles and construction zones had held him up immensely. But anyway, he had enjoyed the little tour through London streets with the motorcycle.  
It wasn't the first time that he has an photo shoot and interview appointment with Vogue, and like the last time, all the people were really nice and friendly, and he really enjoyed the day.  
When he sat in the make-up chair again, for a hair changing, he checked his mobile phone.  
A message from Martin.

 _"Hey darling, Simon and I are in the Founders Arms. If you like, we could have dinner here later. Just wirte me, when you're ready, and if you will join us or not."_ \- Martin, 2.10 pm

Ben smiled, Martin had wrote him just a few minutes ago.  
Until now, he hadn't decided if he would like to join or not, but the food in the Founders Arm was really good.

 _"Alright, Martin. I will write you, before I set off. I love you."_ \- Benedict

 _"I love you too."_ \- Martin

Ben put the mobile phone aside.  
They had done the interview in between, and now they just had to make a few more photos, then they would set off to the editorial office again, they would look through the photographs, talk a bit, and then he would write Martin, if is way would lead him to the Founders Arm or back to Potters Bar.

The rest of the day almost happened like he had imagined it a few hours ago.  
After they had been ready with the photo shoot, they had set off to the editorial office in the city. And in the office, they had drunk coffee and looked through the photographs.

It was 5 o'clock, when Benedict slipped into his motorcycle clothes. He had decided to drive back to Potters Bar. Simon and Martin would be able toeat without him. He wasn't really motivated to drive through the whole city again, to fetch up the car, and he wasn't in the mood for sandwiches, burgers and the other food one could eat in the Founders Arms. These two arguments, and the point, that he would be able to have a nice ride to Potters Bar with the motorcycle, had made the decision easy. He would drive to Martin's place, get cozy and relax on his own, and later with his lovely Martin.  
He didn't manage it to set off immediately, the woman at the reception of the editorial office asked for a photo and an autograph, and then they talked a bit.

5.30 pm - he sat on the motorcycle and set off.

He hadn't sent a text to Martin, he had been distracted by the little smalltalk, the photo and the autograph, that he had just forgotten to write Martin, that he wouldn't join them.

On the motorcycle, he had decided to drive not the direct and short way to Poters Bar. He wanted to enjoy the tour and to make it last as long as possible.  
His way led him out of the city, and finally he could drive faster. He revved up, and the motorcycle rolled across the straight street with 78km/h.  
He already saw the fork he would take, and he hoped that the car behind him wouldn't take the same way.  
The whole time, the person drove too close to his motorcycle, and Benedict asked himself, why the hell he didn't overtake, if he wanted to drive faster.  
Even so it wasn't allowed to drive faster than 70km/h, and Ben almost drove with 80km/h.  
There wasn't a traffic light at the right-hand turn, so he would need to allowe the car which was comin from the other direction to pass. He set the direction indicator to the right, and became slower. The light signal and the slow driving of the car from the other side, told him, the he was allowed to drive first, that he didn't need to come to a halt.  
He slowed down a bit, raised his hand for a thank you, when he turned the handlebar to the right.

And then everything happend in a few seconds, it all happend in just a blink of an eye.

The driver behind Benedict hadn't seen the direction indicator, he thought the motorycle in front of him would go straight on - he had been distracted and when Benedict suddenly slowed down, he couldn't do more than to slow down a bit as well. But it had been too late, he had slowed down too late; his buffer-bar hit the left rear edge of Benedict's motorcycle, who still drove with seventy kilometers per hour.

Ben had just raised his hand, had turned the handle bar to the right, when he noticed the collision.  
Hard.  
The collision shoved the motorcycle more to the right, more into the lane of the other car.  
Ben himself hurled out of the seat, his body wanted to fly over the handle bar.  
And that he did, until he was stopped immediately in mid-air. His motorcycle jacket had entangled with the handle bar, and had stopped Benedict's body abruptly in mid-air, had pulled him back hardly against the handle-bar. The motorcycle overturned with Benedict. The jacket sloughed from the handle-bar right before Benedict hit the road hardly.  
Benedict hit the road massively hard, the motorcycle followed.  
Parts of his body were buried under the motorcycle.  
Benedict lay on the street - motionless.

Squeaking car tyres.

The car from the other direction had come to a halt right in front of Benedict.  
A jogger, who had seen the collision was running bewilderedly to Benedict, when all the other cars had stopped.  
The motorcycle lay on the street, it was dead; the handle bar and the front wheel were twisted, the axle was sagged; parts from the motorcycle lay on the street as well.  
The man beneath the motorcycle lay on the street in an unhealthy angle.  
Motionless.  
And the first thing the jogger thought was, that this man was probably dead.  
The woman from the car, who had wanted to let Ben through, jumped out of the car. She was an emergency medical, was on her way to work.  
The second driver, who had bumped into Ben, got out of the car as well, he was totally shocked, he had hoped that he would manage it to slow down properly.

The jogger and the emergency medical crouched down to Benedict, opened the visor.  
Ben opened his eyes slowly.  
The jogger gasped with relief, the emergency medical looked to Ben.  
The helmet was destroyed at some places.  
Ben bled profusely at the head.  
The woman couldn't see where all the blood came from, but it was probably a big cut. She spoke to him.  
"What's your name?" She asked, even so she knew very well, who was lying there.  
But via her question, she would find out if he knew his name as well.  
Ben looked at her, he needed a moment to answer.  
"Benedict... "  
"And your surname?"  
"Cumberbatch" He answered in a very low voice after a while.  
The woman nodded, let her gaze flicker across Ben.  
The motocycle lay on his chest, a leg was also buried beneath it.  
She couldn't see any injuries from her point of view. She looked to the jogger, who waited with the mobile phone - he called the ambulance, when the woman nodded.

6.05 pm - the man called the ambulance, and told them that there had been an motorcycle accident, that there was just one person who was injured, that he was conscious, but that he would bleed immensely at the head.

The woman talked with Ben, aksed about aches and pains, told him that the ambulance would be there every moment.  
When the man had done the call, they raised the motorcycle slowly and carefully, and put it aside. The jogger walked to the accident perpetrator, two other car drivers had put waring triangles on each side of the accident.

Ben lay on his back, the body was twisted, the eyes closed again. The question about aches and pains - he had answered it with a simple: everywhere.  
"Mister Cumberbatch." The woman spoke again.  
He opened his eyes slowly, looked at her.  
"The ambulance will be there every moment. I'm a emergency medical, my name is Julia. We didn't take off your helmet. You're bleeding very much at the head, and the helmet can be like a pressure bandage." She squeezed his hand softly.  
Ben just looked at her, not all information came through to him.  
"Do you have an emergency ID or something that's similar?" She asked.  
He needed a few moments until he understand the question, until he was able to answer.  
"Breast pocket."  
"That's good. I will get the ID out of the pocket." She said.  
She opened the breast chest of the motorcycle jacket and pulled out the ID. She opened it and read the information, before she put the ID into her own trouser pocket for the ambulance later.  
"Where have you been?"  
"Lon... don." He said weakly. "Ma... Mar... Martin." It was just a low sad whisper before his eyes fluttered shut again.

And all went black.

"With Martin, or do you wanted to drive to Martin?... Mr. Cumberbatch? Do you hear me?"  
She looked at him, raised her had, looked around and searched the jogger or someone else.  
"Hey, you there, I need you again!" She yelled to the jogger.  
The jogger ran to her immediately, he was followed by another man.  
"He's without conscious, we need to take off his helmet now, to bring him into the stable side position. We will do that together, slowly and carefully, like we did it with the motorcycle. We must not move him too much." She gave the order clearly to both men.  
The man knelt down.

Simon and Martin had already heard all the sirens.

6.17pm - the ambulance stopped in front of the accident.  
The emergency medicals ran to Benedict, who laid in a recovery position now - withoutthe helmet.  
The woman had taken care of the bleeding wound at the head as good as possible.  
Ben was still without conscious.  
The police and the fire brigade were at the accident scene as well, they cordoned of the accident scene and recorded the witness reports, while the emergency medicals and the doctor took care off Benedict.  
At first they searched for injuries, put up an IV, gave Ben meds against the aches and pains, and donned a cervical collar. He wasn't responsive, and so the paramedics and the emergency doctor needed to assume that there were in fact vertebral and spinal cord injuries, until they could check this in the hospital.  
Ben stayed without conscious.

A few paramedics were able to put Ben onto a litter, without moving him too much. They moved him into the ambulance, gave him an oxygen mask, which should send a bit more oxygen to Bens body again. They bedded his upper body a bit higer. They needed to lower his brain pressure, otherwise it would led to a stroke or to death.  
The IV was still put on, as well as the EKG; he had gotten meds against his pains and aches, to calm down, to relax his muscles, and to regulate his blood and brain pressure.  
They needed to get him out of the unconsciousness - the longer he would stay in it, the higer was the possibility for massively irreversible damages.  
The care at the accident scene and to put him onto a litter had occupied a lot of time.  
Only at 6.30 pm, they set off to the Royal London Hospital, with Benedict on the litter, with an IV and EKG, and a oxygen mask above his mouth and nose.  
Without conscious.

Emptyness spread through Wanda's and Timothy's body, when they got the call from the police.  
Theri son, their loved son, was with seriously injured and without conscious on the way to the Royal London Hospital.


	74. Royal London Hospital

The cab in which Martin was sitting parked shortly after 7 o'clock in the evening in front of the Royal London Hospital. He handed the money over, raised his hand and got ot of the cab. He almost ran to the main building and the entrance.  
He hurried through the corridors, until he reached the A&E.  
He still felt the bad feeling in his body; his posture was tense; the hands still sweaty, and every now and then they made a fist, the thumbs rubbed with pressure across the forefinger.  
That was the police man had told Tim; that he didn't want to say anything atthe phone, that couldn't mean something good, Martin thought. Just when there were really bad news, one didn't say it at the phone.

Tim was wating in front of the A&E, and when Martin saw him, he hurried up a bit more. His eyes flickered panic-fuelled across Timothy's face, his heart was racing.  
"Tim... "  
"Martin." He said softly, an opened his arms fatherly  
Martin stopped immediately when he saw that gesture, his heart reaced even more.  
Does he have bad news, and that's why he wanted to hug him?  
But the facial expression and his posture didn't make that impression. He wasn't relaxed, but he didn't seem to be in a bad state. The eyes weren't red, he didn't cry. Actually, he just seemed to be worried and shocked; but one also could see that he was relieved.  
It couldn't be bad news, Martin told himself; he took the last few steps, accepted the hugh from Tim, and hugged him back.  
Tim hugged him tightly, rubbed across his back.  
"He's already awake again, Martin. He woke up, shortly before we reached the hospital."

Martin took a deep relieved breath, he hugged Tim tightly as well.  
"And he didn't have any spinal or spinal cord injury, they already have looked after it - and they have taken care of the wound at the head. He needed to wait for all the other tests. There is another big emergency. All hell has broken loose." Tim told him.  
Martin nodded. He broke apart a bit and looked at Tim.  
"What... do they need to test?"  
"They needed to take an x-ray of him again. They just had looked after the big things. And they need to make a CT and a MRT, according to what comes out after the x-ray. But at first they need to take care of the other big emergency. We have seen him just a few minutes. Wanda is talking with the police man, and I thought I wait for you. We've told Ben, that you're on your way, but I'm not quite sure, if he had understood that. He has a severe concussion, or a brain contusion, well, um, the doctor said that it is a modarate traumatic brain injury."  
Martin listened to him, he nodded, looked to the door of the A&E, and after that, he looked back to his father in law.  
"Can we go to him, Tim?"  
"We can do that, Martin." Timothy said.  
He squeezed Martins shoulder, turned around and opened him the door.

On his way to the treatment room, he stopped for a hug with Wanda. They hugged each other tightly, rubbed their backs, and broke apart again.  
And then Martin went with Tim to the room in which Benedict was lying.  
The door was almost closed, to hold up the noises from the A&E corridor.  
Timothy had been right, the A&E was filled with a lot of patients, who were waiting in a room; one patient lay on a bed, in the middle of the corridor; another one was sitting in a wheelchair with a big head injury, which seemed to be fixed. And doctors and medical staff were running through the A&E.  
"I'm going back to Wanda, okay?"  
"Hm, okay. I will come to you in a few minutes."  
Tim nodded and smiled. He walked back to his wife, while Martin pressed his body through the open gap.

Benedict lay on a treatment couch, which was a bit higer in the area of his upper body. He was conntected with the ECG, as well as there was still the IV bag, which gave him medication to regulate his brain pressure. Someone had told him, hat he needed to wait for a few tests, that it wouuld take a while, but that they are watching him through the monitors.  
The motorcycle clothes lay on a chair, Ben was covered under a blanket, his eyes were closed.  
Martin bowed his head. He had already seen him in a hospital, conntected with a lot of medical monitors, but that hadn't been real. It had been for Sherlock. But even so, it had been fake, he hadn't liked to see him like that, there had been a bad and sad feeling in his stomach. It wasn't great to see him like that, evenso Martin knew that all was fine, that it was just acting. But even for this scene and when he jumped from the rooftop - during his acting, he hadn't been just John, there had been a lot of Martin.  
Now he was lying on that treatment couch; and it seemed that he was just still alive, because of nasty luck. He closed his eyes for a moment; he wished to see a lot of cameras, sound, lights, cables, people, Make-Up Artists - then this would be just a scene from a script and Ben would jump out of the bed, when someone would scream: Cut!.

Martin opened his eyes again, he walked to Ben, and looked down to him.  
"Benny." He murmured softly, before he laid his hand on Benedict's.  
Ben opened his eyes slowly, looked up to Martin; he looked exhausted, but a little smile flickered across his face, when he saw Martin.  
"Martin... "  
Martin ran his thumb across the back of Ben's hand.  
"Hey. You know, we have had another appointment, honey. We wanted to meet at the Founders Arm or at my place... not in the hospital." Martin murmured with a worried low voice.  
"Hmh, I thought this location, would be more exciting." Ben smiled a bit.  
"Hmh, I don't like adventures, darling. Please, don't do that again, I really don't want to get a call that you're on your way to the hospital and that you're seriously injured." He murmured still with a worried and shocked voice. He breathed a kiss on Ben's temple.  
"John Watson likes adventures." Ben murmured.  
"I am not John Watson, I am Martin, and Martin doesn't like adventures."  
"Hmm" Ben was exhausted.  
"Benny,... " Martin whispered; he breathed Ben another kiss on the temple and ran his fingers gently and carefully through his hair. "you should rest a bit. I'm going to your parents, okay?"  
"Hmh, parents, okay."  
Martin looked at Ben again, before he left the room.  
He wanted to hear what had happened, and he wanted that Ben could sleep and rest a bit - the talking hadn't been really adequate.

Martin was relieved; he was relieved that Ben was awake, that he had been able to talk with him, and that there weren't severe injuries, which were life-threatening. He talked with the police man, who told him all the details, and with every sentence it became more clear that Ben have had big luck.  
If his jacket wouldn't have stopped him abruptly in mid air, who knows where he would have landed. Possibly under the wheels of the oncoming car, or on the bonnet. His jacked seemed to have saved his life, everything else didn't matter.  
The description of the motorcycle and the helmet had shown Martin again, how much luck Ben have had. The front wheel twisted with the handebar, other parts completely torn away from the motorcycle, a destroyed helmet - and Martin knew, Ben had one of the most safest helmets. He didn't want to think about, what would have happened if the helmet wouldn'T have been that good and safe.  
He just wondered how many guardian angels had lain onto the street to save him. Yesterday, Ben had heated lika a mad man through the forest and terrain, and today he was just driving on the street, in a normal pace - was seemingly on his way to Potters Bar and had an accident. That made no sense.

Time passed by, the emergency room was crowded.  
Martin, Wanda and Timothy had talked again with the police man, and they all had been on Ben's side again.  
The medicine helped, lowered the breain pressure, at least a bit.  
They also had talked with the doctor, who also had said that Ben have had a lot of luck, and that he has just "minor" injuries when one see it in relation to the severity of the accident.  
After the x-rays, CT and MRT, Ben should stay a bit in the treatment room again. They had connected him to the ECG and the IV-bag again.

Martin was on his way to one of the snack automats; he needed to eat and to drink something and he needed a bit of fresh air.  
It was shortly after 10 o'clock in the evening; he went outdoors with a sandwich and a coke, and sat down on a bench. He ran his hand through his hair, rubbed his face. He was still troubled, tense and worried. He felt really sick because of the accident and all the scenarios in his had, which he had since he had spoken with the police officer. And he felt sick because he hadn't eat much today. In fact, just the breakfast with Amanda.  
He sipped at his coke; the adrenaline was running through his body.  
His shaky hands typed a message.

 _"Hey Simon. Ben had been already awake when I arrived. The hell was going on here, that why all the tests had needed that long. He have had a lot of luck, nasty luck. It's "just" a moderate traumatic brain injury, two broken rips an two bruised rips, a scaphoid fracture - is one of the wristbones, his navel his broken, and he has a ankle injury, multiple bruises and grazes, and a big cut at his head. Greetings Martin."_ \- Martin

Simon replied immediately.

 _"Jesus, finally I got a text. I was staring all the time on my mobile phoe. Now, I'm a bit relieved. Bloody hell, I'm really happy, that he's awake and well, that he have had luck. What happened?"_ \- Simon

 _"It seemed that he was on his way to Potters Bar, and he wanted to turn, he slowed down, but the guy behind him hadn't payed attention and slowed down too late, he bumped into Ben with high speed. The motorcycle is scrap, I saw pictures of it - and the helmet is broken as well and the clothes are looking really shitty as well. I think he have had more than one guardian angel today. I mean, for that accident, he's looking quite good. It could have end much worse."_ \- Martin

 _"That means he flew over the motorcycle and hit the road?"_ \- Simon

 _"He hung at the handle bar with his jacket, and overturn with the motorcycle, it landed on his body. On the other side came another car, the woman was able to stop right in front of him. Coincidentally she was a emergency medical and could take care of him very well, before the ambulance came to the accident scene."_ \- Martin

 _"Jesus. I think, I don't want to hear more at the moment. I'm just happy that he's alive and awake. Please greet him from Matilda, Maureen and me. Write me, if he needs to stay longer in the hospital, then I will come over for a visit. How are you? Are you alright, Martin?"_ \- Simon.

 _"Until now, they have just planned a night, to monitor him. I will write you again, and I will greet him. I'm exhausted, and worried, and I don't know. I've the feeling my heart will freak out every moment. I should stop to think about all the things, which could have happened. I can't calm down now; only when I kno that Ben is lying in a bed here and I know that he's in good hands for the night."_ \- Martin

 _"Please, Martin, stop the cinema in your head. Everything is fine. Ben is in good hands. Don't think about what could have happened. If he needs to stay longer, and you two need something, please call, okay? We are there for you two, I hope you know that. Every time, every day, every hour of the day, Martin."_ \- Simon

 _"I know. Thank you, Simon."_ \- Martin

Martin put his phone into his trouser pocket again. He ate his sandwich, drank he coke, took a few deep breathes and then he walked back to the A&E.

 

The doctor was standing at the reception with Timothy and Wanda; Martin joined them.  
"... so, then I will write the discharge letter and then you can go. But you need to come back immediately, if his state gets worse. It would be the best to come to the Royal again. If he's feeling really bad and an emergency doctor need to come again, then he will come to a hospital in Potters Bar. But Mr.Cumberbatch gets a discharge letter and the CD with all the pictures. And I will gave you a few meds." The doctor said.  
Martin wrinkled his forehead.  
"What? I thought he needs to stay. And that you decide tomorrow if he can go or not."  
"Mr. Cumberbatch wants to go home on his own responsibility. I can't do anything about that. He isn't in a life-threatening condition, and his traumatic brain injury isn't that bad, that I'm allowed to force him.There is scale for traumatic brain injuries, and he's just at the beginning of a moderate traumatic brain injury, and well, I know, it was a really severe accident, but all the other injuries aren't life-threatening, so he has the right to go home on his own responsibility. I don't like that as well. I don't agree with him - but my hands are tied. I'm sorry."

Wanda turned his head to Martin.  
"You know him, Martin. He doesn't want to stay here, he wants to go with you. We have tried to convince him, that it would be better to stay, but he's stubborn. He wants to go with you, to your place." Wanda said.  
Martin looked at his parents in law and at the doctor.  
"He's gone of his nuts! A moment please, wait with the letter, I will talk with him. Where is he?" Martin asked worried and furious.  
"He's still in the treatment room, and waiting for me and the letter."  
Martin nodded, he looked briefly to Wanda and Timothy, they nodded aas well.

Ben was sitting on the treatment couch; he was wearing his trouser, one of his casual shoes and a T-Shirt. The police man had taken the suitcase from the motorcycle and the backpack with him to the hospial.  
Ben's left arm was plastered from the elbow to the middle of his hand; his right foot was splinted, and a big plaster was at his head.  
He looked up when Martin came in. he smiled.  
"Hey."  
"Hey... " Martin smiled a worried smile.  
He came to Ben, laid a hand on his cheek, caressed his cheekbone with his thumb and breathed him a kiss on his lips.  
Ben closed his eyes, enjoyed the kiss; he was happy that Martin was back, and that he was able to leave the hospital every minute.  
"At first, greetings form Maureen and Matilda and Simon."  
"Have you phoned with them?"  
"No, I have texted with Simon. I just needed to eat and drink something, and I needed a bit of fresh air."  
"Okay. We can go home every minute." Ben smiled.

Martin looked at him, he looked absolutely worried.  
"Listen Ben, the doctor said, it would be better, if you stay the night, and I would like that as well. And your parents would like that, too."  
"I don't like hospitals, Martin. I want to go to your place, with you."  
"Benny, I would love to take you home with me, really, but I would love it much more, if you would stay the night, just that one night."  
"I can sleep and rest at your place as well."  
"But, I can't do anything to help you, if you feel really worse and sick and all that. Then I need to call the ambulance, and a lot of minutes pass by, until there's someone who can help you. If you stay, then the doctors can be at your side immediately."  
"Martin, I don't want to stay. I was here long enough now." Ben said. He sat up a bit, and pulled a pain filled face. He laid the right hand on his rips.

"Ben, honestly, you're crazy! Other people staying here at least three days after a motorcycle accident. Do you know, how much luck you have had?! That your jacket got stuck at the handle bar, probably saved your life, or at least, it has saved you from major and life-threatening injuries. The woman was just able to stop the car in the very last moment. Your motorcycle is scrap, as well as your helmet. You have been without conscious almost half an hour, the doctor said, that this could have caused neurological damages, permanently damages. You have overturned with your motorcycle, you hit the road hardly, and then your fucking heavy motorcycle buried you. You laid here all the time with an IV-bag, so that they can regulate your brain pressure. That's dangerous, Benedict! Do you know how scared and worried I was, and I still am? Do you know which horrible scenarios have been in my head when your dad called me to tell me that you have had a serious accident? That was more than just nasty luck today Ben. I thought I lost you today, you fucking git, so you will stay in this fucking hospital for one night!" Martin was furious, but one could also see how much he cared, how worried and scared he was.

Ben looked at him, with wide open eyes and a mouth, which hung open. He hadn't expected such a speech.  
The doctor and the police man had told him what had happened. He couldn't remember it, just the bump from the car and that his body stopped abruptly, hardly - but then - there was just a black hole. The first thing he really remembered after all that, were his parents and then Martin.

"Ben, please stay. Just one night, it's almost half past eleven. Please, Beny. It's not that long. You're exhausted, you're tired, you have aches and pains. The doctor said, if tomorrow everything is fine with your head and the brain pressure, then you can go home. And then I come to fetch you up." Martin murmured, and ran his hand through Ben's hair.  
"Love, I'm really worried, and I would be able to calm down a bit, when I would know that you're here, and that you're in safe hands. I know you don't like hospitals, I don't like them too. But it's important, Benny. It's important for me. And I think you will feel better as well if you stay, they can do much more over the night, than a I'm at home."

Ben sighed with resignation.  
"Then you need to tell the doctor, that I can stop writing this letter."  
"I don't need to do that, I told him, he doesn't need to write the letter."  
"What if I would have stayed at my point?"  
"I would have discussed with you the whole night, and so you would have been in the hospital the whole night as well." Martin grinned softly.  
"Sometimes you're really annoying." Ben smiled gently.  
Martin smiled again. He bent down and kissed Ben's temple, and rubbed his nose across it.  
"I will tell it the doctor, and I think in a few minutes, you can relax and rest and sleep in a bed. I will stay until you are in bed, and I think your parents will stay as well." He said gently.  
He waited for Bens soft nod, and then he walked to the reception again.

Bens parents and the doctor gave him a look of expectancy.  
Martin nodded.  
"He will stay the night."  
Wanda smiled, she was relieved, as well as Timothy and the doctor.  
"Thank you, that you spare me the paper work today, Mr. Freeman." He smiled broadly. And Martin smirked as well. "I will call someone who fetch him up."  
Tim, Wanda and Martin nodded.

 

At the end, they just needed to wait five minutes, until a nurse came down with a wheelchair.  
She took Ben with her, and Martin and Ben's parents followed with the bags and the motorcycle clothes.  
Ben changed into a hospital gown; he laid down, and the nurse bedded his upper body a bit higher, and conntected him to the ECG and the IV-bag again.  
Another nurse was on her way to organize him some food and tea and water.  
His parents said goodbye, and told him that they would visit him here or at Martin's place.  
And they told Martin, that they would wait for him in the lobby.

When Martin and Ben were alone, Martin came over to Ben. He ran his hand through his hair.  
"Thanks, that you stay thenight. And I'm sorry that I cancelled the breakfast this morning."  
"Just for you, you little nag." Ben smiled lovingly. "And, the breakfast thing is fine, it was just a question. You don't have to agree to all my invitations."  
"Yes, I know, Benny. Normally it is like that. But, well, in the cab, I felt really bad, that I've cancelled it, that I haven't picked up Amanda and that we haven't ate breakfast all together. You know, there was just the information about a serious motorcycle accident, and I mean, that's what happened, even so you injuries aren't that bad, despite the brain pressure thing at the moment. I was really afraid of losing you, and I thought I would have cancalled the last breakfast in my life with you. I just thought about, how fast something can happen, that take a person you really love from you. You know, I was so afraid that you're dead when I arrive at the hospital."  
"Hmh, you're right sometime one forget how short life can be. Martin, I... it's fine, I'm fine. I mean, for that big accident, I'm feeling good. Please, Martin, please fetch me up tomorrow, when that pressure in my head is gone. Please."  
"Of course, love. I will come and pick you up, immediately."  
"Great. Can I have a kiss, before you go?" Ben asked with a smile.  
"Do you think I just leave you alone without a goodbye or goodnight kiss?" Martin smiled.

He laid his hand on Ben's cheek, bent down, he closed his eyes slowly, and breathed Ben a kiss on his lips.  
Ben smiled, and gave him a soft kiss back.  
"I love you!" Ben said lovingly.  
"I love you too, Benny." Martin smiled against Ben's lips.  
Martin gave him a loving kiss, and after that, they gave each other a few little soft kisses, until Martin broke apart, and ran his hand again through Ben's hair.

The nurse cleared her throat; she stood in the middle of the room with a meal tray. She looked apologetically.  
"I'm sorry. I didn't want to disturb you."  
Martin and Ben turned their heads.  
"It's fine. Everything is okay." Martin smiled. "You have found something to eat, that's great."  
"Yes, bread, cheese, ham and salami. And the tea and the water is there as well." She smiled, came over to them, and put the tray onto the beside drawer.  
Martin smiled, and Ben looked thankful as well.  
"Okay, honey. I'm off to Potters Bar. Enjoy your meal and please try to sleep, okay? I'm back in the morning." He smiled softly, bent down, kissed his hair.  
"Hmh, okay. Can you please write me, when you're at home?" Ben murmured softly.  
"I will, Benny." Martin smiled, and caressed his cheek gently.  
Ben smiled at him; Martin broke apart, smiled at him, and then to the nurse.  
"Goodbye."  
"Goodbye, Mr. Freeman." She smiled.

Martin smiled and nodded.  
He left the room, was relieved, that Ben was in safe hands this night.


	75. Night and Day

It was quiet in the room as soon as the nurse was gone again.  
Benedict looked down to his food and the steaming tea.  
He took a slice of bread put the salami on it and ate, and while he was eating he drank the water and the tea.  
He would have loved to drive home with Martin. He knew it was better to stay the night in the hospital but he would have felt much more comfortable with Martin at his side, with Martin next to him, in Martin's arm.  
He sighed, looked at the clock in the room. Hopefully the night would pass by really quickly, and hopefully the doctor would let him go tomorrow. If the doctor wouldn't be okay with this, he knew, Martin wouldn't let him go as well.

After he had eaten and the water and tea was gone, he pushed the table aside, put the head back and closed his eyes. The painkillers helped very well, beforehand the pain ahd been much worse. Even so, the rips were hurting really much - with every breath, during eating, during coughing - he hoped he didn't need to cough again.  
His mobile phone, which Martin had placed in the bed, buzzed several times. He opened his eyes again, took the mobile phone and looked at the display. There were several messages from Martin and one from Simon. He opened the chat from Martin.

 _"Hey, sweetheart. Not finished yet ? Or already on the way to the founders or Potters Bar? Love you, darling. "_ \- Martin, 6.02 pm.

Ben bowed his head; Martin had written him when the accident had happened. Benedict swallowed, if he wouldn't have been this lucky tonight, he would have never saw the message, and he wouldn't have been able to answer Martin. He gulped down the lump in his throat, scrolling further down.

 _"I am at home now. Hope you're feeling as good as possible"_ \- Martin

 _"Hey love, great to hear that your safely at home now. I'm feeling a bit better, with all these meds. It's boring without you, nobody is cuddling with me."_ \- Benedict

He opened Simon's chat, read his message and answered him.

 _"Hey. The next time you don't want to go to the Founders or you don't want to see me, you can just write me a text, instead of havening an accident. Well, I stop the joking now. I will kill you next time with my own hands, when you scare the shit out of Martin or me again, with something like this. I'm really glad you're fine and good so far. I will come for a visit when you're at Martin's place. Hope you can get some sleep. Stay safe mate."_ \- Simon.

 _"I didn't want to break you heart in which I told you that I didn't want to see you ;-). I'm looking forward to your visit, hopefully the doctor will let me tomorrow. I will try to sleep a bit. Have a great night, Simon. And greet your lovely ladies."_ \- Benedict

Martin had written him again.

 _";-) Try to get some sleep, try to resta bit Benny. This would help you better than texting with me. I will cuddle with you as much as you want after I have fetched you up tomorrow. I love you, honey."_ \- Martin

 _"I'll try to find a good position to sleep now. I love you, Martin. I'm sorry that I haven't texted you, before I set off this evening. I have read your last message just now."_ \- Benedict

 _"I know Ben, you had told me earlier that you've forget it. It's okay. The day today was creepy, messy, exhausting, absolutely not nice, but it ended good, that's what counts now. Let us talk tomorrow, love. Sleep well. xxx."_ \- Martin

Benedict put the mobile phone aside, closed his eyes again. He couldn't really remember the accident, but his parents, Martin, the doctor and the police officer had reported him what had happened and if he was honest, he was glad that he couldn't remember.  
He knew he have had a lot of luck today, the whole accident could have ended much worse, not only lethal, the injuries could have been worse. Paraplegic, other neurological disorders, which would have his quality of life absolutely limited - in the professional and in his private life.  
His eyelids fluttered open again; he looked at the clock, sighed - the time didn't seem to pass away.  
He was too churned up to fall asleep and the ribs ached; he didn't know how to lie down comfortably  
The accident bothered him; he actually had a lot of appointments, which he probably would need to cancel; and now the weather was really good, his motorcycle was srap, and he has a plastered arm, aching broken ribs and a bad foot and navel - so he couldn't sit on the motorcycle and enjoy the last weeks of the season.  
When Martin would be at the rehearsals for the theater, he would searching a new machine. This accident hadn't changed the pleasure of riding a motorcycle. Of course he was shocked, but this didn't mean that he never wanted to drive a motorcycle again. If it were up to him, he would love to sit on a bike as soon as possible, with the next sunshine. But it was in the scrap yard and Martin would probably kill him.

Martin lay in bed on the back, staring at the ceiling.  
He was still too wired; he turned to the side, rubbing his eyes, sat up again and went down to the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea.  
He sat down at the kitchen island, looked into his cup at his black tea, which had become brighter due the milk. His gaze was focused on the tea, he moved his spoon lost in thought.  
Later he would call or text Amanda, maybe Mark and Tom, he didn't want that they learned it through the newspaper or the Internet. If the journalists thought that it was their job, to inform the whole world that someone have had an accident it was their thing, but he didn't want that close friends or relatives of Benedict's, would read it at first in the newspaper learned.

 

The night had been atrocious; Martin had not come to rest.  
After he had eaten breakfast; he drove to the hospital.  
Also Benedict haven't had a restful night; he had been tired, but couldn't fall asleep properly, because of the pain in the ribs, and the plaster at the arm had also bothered him.  
When Martin got into the room, he showed again that he was an absolutely charming gentleman; he had bought Ben a fresh sandwich, a sweet particles, and his favorite tea.  
Benedict have had a few tests in the morning again and Martin had waited for him.

It was already later midday.  
Benedict and Martin waited in the room for the doctor, who wanted to write a report letter.  
Benedict sat on the bed, Martin stood at the window, he looked out of it.  
"When we're at home, I will cook. Do you want something special?" Martin asked with a smile, he turned his head to Ben.  
"Hmm, I don't care, Martin. Pasta or rice, something like that." He smiled, and shrugged his shoulders.  
Martin smiled to him, came over, stopped before him and put his hands loosely on his shoulders. His lips kissed Ben's head.  
"Okay, I will cook us something nice." He muttered softly into Benedict's hair.  
Benedict had closed his eyes, leaned his forehead on Martin's chest now.  
He was so glad that he could go home with Martin. The tests had shown that the brain pressure was regulated again, and that all was fine in relation to that huge accident. The doctor had said, that he could let him go with a good conscience.

There was a knock at the door.  
Martin broke apart, and the door opened.  
Dr. Sheffield came into, he was smiling to both of them. In his hand he held a few documents.  
"So, I'm sorry, it took me a bit longer." He was smiling Martin and Benedict.  
"It's fine.", Martin nodded.  
"Great, I have here the report letter, then a list of medications and the recipes you need for it. I wrote down, how and when you should take it. Then I have the CD with all pictures we have taken. You should go to your family doctor and to an ortopaedist; I've already written a referral. Within a week, you should go there for a plaster control. If it's really uncomfortable you should go earlier. Furthermore - if you suddenly should've strength dizziness, vomiting, very strong and sudden back pains or failure symptoms, you need to go the doctor or to a hospital immediately. But I think that your partner Mr. Freeman will take care of that." He smiled kindly and put the documents onto the table.  
"I'm sure he will." Benedict smirked.  
"Well, and your orthopaedist should refer you to physiotherapist. I wish you all the best Mr. Cumberbatch." He smiled, and reached him his hand.  
Benedict nodded with a smile and shook his hand.  
"Yes, all right. Thank you, Dr. Sheffield."  
The doctor smiled and offered his hand to Martin.  
"I hope we won't see us again, Mr. Freeman. So at least not here." He chuckled.  
"I hope that as well." Martin grinned, and also shook his hand.  
Dr. Sheffield smiled, nodded to them again, and raised his hand before he left the room.

Martin stroked Ben lightly across the back, then took the documents from Benedict, walked to his backpack and put them in. The long recipe with the whole medications, he folded and put it in his pocket. He shouldered the bag, put on the small backpack, took even Benedict's motorcycle jacket, pants and shoes. He was fully packed, and smiled to Ben.  
"Are you ready, sweetheart?" He smiled.  
Benedict stood up slowly.  
"Should I take anything?"  
"Forget it! Just walk, I'm here with the car, it's not far away."  
He opened the door for Ben, who was slightly limping. Lucky he was able to walk, he was limping, and it didn't look nice, but at least he was able to walk a bit; he didn't know how it was with longer distances, but at the moment the foot just hurt really bad, when he turned it to the side or touched it.  
"You're here with the car?"  
"Yes, I wasn't in the mood for a cab, and Matt wasn't available for a ride, and well I don't want to use the train, with all these things. I was lucky, there was a free parking lot, in the first street." He said, while he walked slowly to the elevator with Ben.  
They entered when the door opened with a ping; Benedict pressed the button for the ground floor, and leaned against the wall of the elevator.  
"I'll stop here in London at a pharmacy, Benny. I think we rather get all these things here than in Potters Bar. And then we go home." He said gently.  
Benedict looked at him and nodded.  
"Or do you prefer to go home, I mean, we will drive an hour. We can drive home now, then I cook, we eat, and after lunch I organize all your meds."  
"No, no. It's okay, let us stop here." Ben said, and got out of the elevator with Martin.  
They walked to the car.

Martin put the shoes on the roof of the car, put out the key and unlocked the car.  
Benedict smiled gently, and got in the car. His ribs were the only thing that really hurt him - but he was really exhasuted.  
Maybe he would get some sleep in Martin's bed or on his couch.  
Martin packe the stuff into the car, and then got in.  
He set off, parked at one of the numerous pharmacies in London and got out.  
Benedict waited in the car, closed his eyes, yawned, listened to the music that came out of the radio.  
This morning, he had just phoned with his agent, had explained her what had happened and asked her to cancel the appointments for the next four weeks - the doctor said the rips would need 6 weeks, and the hand probably 12 weeks, but maybe he was able to go to a few appointments in four weeks time. He could cancel other appointments later if it was neccessary.  
The car door opened again, he heard that Martin threw a bag onto the back seat, and then he felt Martin's hand on his thigh, which stroked gently back and forth, it made him smile. Martin's soft lips kissed his head, then his cheek and his warm voice mumbled him after the two kisses softly into his ear.  
"I got everything you need, hun. No we're driving to Potters Bar.“  
His warm, soft lips kissed his cheek again - tenderly.  
Ben opened his eyes, turned his head more to Martin, his eyes sparkled.  
"Hmh... home."  
Martin winked gently.

 

He drove them both to Potters Bar, took only Benedict's backpack and the meds, the rest he would fetch up later.  
In the house, Benedict walked into living room, Martin stayed in the kitchen, to make a some lunch for both of them, while he he was cooking he talked with Benedict in the living room.  
"I could drive to your doctor on Monday, and give him the CD with the pictures. And I can fetch up a few things for you from your place."  
Benedict was on the couch, listening to Martin's words.  
"That would be great, Martin. Thank you. If he still wants to see me, maybe he has free appointment, in the afternoon."  
"No problem, I'm in London anyway. Write down what you need." Martin smiled.  
"Martin? Am I allowed to write things down, which I don't need that much at the moment?"  
Martin stretched his head out of the kitchen into the living room, bowed his head and smiled.  
"You mean, to have them already here... for later?"  
Ben nodded on the sofa.  
"I'm bringing everything with me, what you write down - until te car is full packed." He winked lovingly. " Do you want me to bring all your things here?"  
Benedict smiled and nodded.  
"Hmm, if that's okay with you. I mean we also can start with it when I'm able to help you. You don't have to do it on your own."  
"Stop worrying. It's all fine, Benny. Really."  
Benedict's eyes sparkled to Martin, who winked at him again, and disappeared into the kitchen again.

They spent the rest of the day in the living room and in the garden.  
Benedict rested and slept a but on the couch after lunch.  
Martin read in the arm chair, but he fell asleep as well. When he woke up after an hour, he had neck pain; the position was not comfortable.  
He had made them both a cup of tea  
With the tea they had gone on the terrace until the evening; they had eaten on the couch with a nice movie.

 

Martin turned on the back, the head to the alarm clock.  
3.25 am.  
He rubbed his face, ran his hand through his hair, yawned heartily.  
He couldn't sleep very well, and Ben wasn't able to sleep as well.  
Benedict was in pain, and Martin couldn't fall asleep because Bened changed his positions constantly.  
"Sorry, shall I sleep on the couch?" Benedict muttered tiredly.  
He was currently sitting in bed.  
Martin turned his head to Ben and turned around to face Ben. He pressed his head briefly into the pillow - afterwards he opened one eye and looked to Ben.  
"I hope I've just misunderstoodyou. If not - Don't dare to ask that again. When someone is sleeping on the couch, then it's me."  
"But you can't sleep because of me." Ben mumbled.  
"It's okay, Benny. I could go downstairs." He said gently, and stroked gently with his fingertips across Benedict's back."  
"Sorry, really, that I constantly change my position. But my ribs hurt so much, and the plaster is bothering me. It very uncomfortable in every position."  
Martin stroked with the fingertips across Ben's spine.  
"Can I do you something good?" Martin asked gently; he slipped closer, and kissed his lower back.  
"I don't really think so."  
Martin kissed his lumbar spine again.  
"If you need anything, just say it, love. And please, Ben, it doesn't matter if you wake me up. You don't need to lie in an uncomfortable position, just because you're afraid of waking me up." Martin yawned heartily. "Sorry, Darling. I close my eyes again." He muttered with a tired, voice.  
He kissed Benedict's hip, stroked across Ben's spine again, before he pressed the head back into the pillow. He put his hand under the blanket on Benedict's thigh to have physical contact with him.  
He felt Benedict's right hand on his, smiled in the dark, blearily to himself, his hand still locked with Benedict's.


	76. The morning after

The night over shortly before 8 o' clock in the morning.   
Benedict had tried to sit a while in bed; he had tried to lie don again, but had stood up in the middle of the night; he had wlaked to the kitchen, had made himself a cup of tea, and had starred out of the window - lost in thoughts.   
He tried to remember more of the accident but that didn't do his head that good, and ultimately he was still very happy to have forgotten most of it. The descriptions of the policeman and Martin had been enough, if he was honest.   
He had woken up Martin again and again, and that annoyed him. Just because of him, Martin couldn't sleep properly; at least he should be able to rest a bit; he had to go to the theatre tomorrow, unlike himself. He could to try to get a bit of sleep during the day. 

The sunlight spread across the room.  
Benedict sat up again; he slipped on the edge of the bed, hung his legs out of it and ran his hand through his hair. He couldn't lie in bed any longer.   
Martin also started to move and sigh a bit. He had been awake this night really often. Every time, Ben had turned from one side to the other and had moaned and sighed in pain. Then Ben had gottn up, and he had been away for a long time; and when he came back, he had snuggled up to Martin, but after five minutes, he had broke apart again, rolling from the left side to the right, from the right side to the left side. 

Martin was really exhausted; he rubbed his eyes, yawned heartily again and again, and ran his hand through his hair. He slid over to Benedict to the edge of the bed. He pushed the T-Shirt, which his partner was wearing slightly upwards at the back and pressed a gentle kiss on his lower back. 

"I'm so sorry, Martin." Ben mumbled apologetically.  
"You don't have to apologize." Martin growled blearily, cuddled his face against Benedict's lumbar spine. "How are you? " He murmured gently against Benedict's spine.  
"Tired, a little headache, myrib cage hurts when I breath in and out, when I'm laughing, when I lie in bed. The hand is okay, I just notice the plaster and the foot just hurts when I turn him in a certain direction or when I touch him."  
"I would love to help you, Benny. But unfortunately, I don't know how I can make the lying and the sleep more comfortable for you. You can't sleep when you're standing around and you also shouldn't stop breathing. Just for the record, that's absolutely not allowed!" Martin cuddled up on Benedict, put an arm around him and patted his healthy hand softly.  
"What is not allowed?" Ben asked gently, took Martin's hand in his, squeezed it lovingly, enjoyed the patting from Martin.  
"To stop breathing. You can do that when I'm dead, but not one second earlier." He kissed Ben's back again, squeezed Benedict's hand several times, firmly.  
He cuddled closer, hugged him firmly, he tried to feel as much of Benedict's body as possible.  
"I was really afraid, Ben. Afraid that this accident has killed you. I mean, a spinal cord injury or other major injuries and limitations are also not nice, but... but then you would have been still alive. Even if it would have been a big change for you and for me too, but you would have been alive. Kinda selfish." Martin muttered.  
"It's not selfish. If you would have an accident, I also would wish me rather a spinal cord injury or other terrible things, than your death. I can understand it, Martin. We all think like that about a loved one.“  
"For the first time in my private life, I have wished that I'm surrounded by cameras, when I've seen you yesterday in the treatment room. Then all the injuries would have been just fake. If I'm honest, it's already uncomfortable to see you get hurt as Sherlock."

Benedict turned his head slightly backwards, squeezed Martin's hand again.  
"Honestly? Why have you never said anything?"  
"Hmh, I don't know,... I thought it would be really sille. It wasn't nice to see you in the hospital, or bleeding. After your 'jump', not only John hunkered down in front of Sherlock, there also knelt Martin... more Martin than John desperately in front of Benedict,... if I'm honest." He mumbled in Benedict's back.  
"Martin," Benedict said lovingly. "Why didn't you say something to me? I mean, you said it was a strange and creepy situation,... but not that you have felt so sad about it, and you were more Martin than Watson."  
Martin cuddle even closer, he held Benedict's hand, gulped down the lump in his throat. The images in his head started to rattle again.   
Benedict loosened his hand; he stood up, knelt down in front of the bed. He gritted his teeth. This position wasn't good for his foot, but at the moment it was more important to comfort Martin. 

Martin was lying on the edge of the bed; Benedict stroked through his hair, then gently over the cheek.   
Martin's eyes were damp, a tear rolled down his cheek. He gulped, he tried to regain his compsure.  
"Hey, sweetheart." Benedict breathed with a whisper.  
He brushed the tears with his thumb softly away, ran his thumb gently over the soft skin under Martin's eyes. Ben eyes lovingly rested on Martin's.  
"It's all fine, Martin. I am here." He wiped the tears softly away, and laid his finger on Martin's lips. "Psst. I don't want to hear, that you feel silly or dumb. You have been worried and your head cinema is running and running. You told me, you and Simon heard the sirens. I would feel really sad as well, Martin, if it would be the other way round. We both haven't seen the accident, or rather, I can't remember it. You heard the sirens, and you've got the call from my dad and it wasn't clear what exactly had happened; you saw me in the treatment room with all this machines, you heard what happened, you saw the pictures. It is not ridiculous when you think about it, what might have happened. It would be bad, would you be worried about me. Then I would doubt that you really love me and that I'm important to you." He muttered, bent forward and breathed Martin a kiss on the forehead. "Hmm, Martin? Everything is fine. I'm here with you. At home. And I can move." He smiled and wobbled with a painfull expression on his face to the right and to the left, then forward and back, waggled the plastered arm, moved the fingers, as if he would play the piano. "Hmpf. okay, I admit it, it hurts, but I can move my body. And I can steal your sleep at night and I can annoy you throughout the day, and if you're at home, you can serve me like I'm Cäsar." He grinned and winked. 

Martin watched him, swallowed the lump in his throat down; he had to chuckle, at least a bit. He watched Ben with gentle and caring eyes.  
"Do you think you could move your pretty ass into the kitchen and make us a nice breakfast, then you have something to do and you're distracted. And in the meantime, your tall boyfriend would try to take a shower." Ben smiled.  
Martin smiled more, scratched with his hand over his face.  
"I can do that. Please be carefull in the shower Ben."  
"I will, honey." Ben breathed him a kiss on the forehead and stood up slowly - grimaced. 

Martin looked after him, when he slightly hobbled out of the bedroom.   
He sat up, ran his hand across his face and through his hair again. He stood up and walked downstairs to the kitchen. He made two cup of teas, a few toast, put out the butter, jam, milk and cheese, and cereals. After that he studied the medication list and prepared the meds for Ben. And then he sat down on the bar stool and waited.

Benedict took a shower in the meantime - with just one arm.  
It had been exhausting, annoying and it had taken much longer than usual. After his shower he got dressed and walked downstairs to the kitchen, with a sweat pants and a fresh T-Shirt - beneath it were a lots of bruises, and a pretty big bruise in the area of the ribs, and grazes are spread over his body. 

No sound came out of the kitchen.   
Benedict bowed his head as he entered the kitchen. He looked at the little body that was hanging on a bar stool.   
The legs dangled from the stool, the upper body was leaning forward, an arm stretched out on the counter; the head was lying on the outstretched arm, his hair was tousled; the T-Shirt was slipped slightly upwards at the back, released some skin.   
Benedict scanned his body from the tousled hair down to the back, to the shorts and the naked legs down to the feet. He smiled to himself, came closer and heard a quiet snoring now.   
How could this man sleep without sliding down from the bar stool and counter, Benedict wondered.   
He raised his hand; he didn't want to wake him up, but everything else wouldn't be good for Martin's neck and back. He rubbed his hand tenderly across Martin's back and pressed him a kiss on the ear.  
"Honey, you need to wake up again."  
Martin growled softly, the snoring stopped, an eye opened up tiredly.   
Benedict smiled at him, scratched with his fingernails over Martin's back.   
Martin shivered pleasantly and sighed; goose bumps spread across his arms, neck, back and legs.  
"Hmmmmh." He sighed and rolled his eyes in relish.  
"Let's have breakfast, Martin. And then we can go in the garden; the Sun is shining and perhaps I can rest a bit better on the garden loungers, and you can rest as well."  
"Hmh, yes. Okay." Martin muttered, and lifted his head from his arm. He pulled his plate and his mug to him again, and then he pointed to the pills. "You shall take them before you eat" He pointed to several pills, "That one at first, it's for the stomach."   
"Thank you." Benedict smiled, and sat down to Martin. He took the glass of water and swallowed down every pill. 

Martin ate two toast with jam, Benedict one and after that a bit of the cereals. They drank their tea together and Benedict helped him a bit with cleaning off, before he went out into the garden with a bottle of water. Martin followed him a short time later with two glasses. He put them to the bottle onto the small table that stood between the garden loungers.   
"I'm also taking a shower, Benny." He tousled Benedict's hair.  
Benedict nodded with closed eyes and smiled gently.   
At the moment it was much better to lie on the garden loungers than on the sofa or in the bed. He put his plastered arm on his stomach. Hopefully the pain pills will work pretty good, and then he would be able to get some sleep here.   
He sighed, enjoyed the sun, which beamed into his face and on the upper body. It was not particularly warm, but with the long trousers and the T-Shirt, it was quite pleasant.

Martin was taking a shower, and after that he dressed again - with a fresh T-Shirt and a long loose pants.   
He came back into the garden; he was still unbelievably exhausted and he hoped he would get some sleep now while he was enjoying the sun.   
He leaned down to Be and breathed him a soft kiss on his temple.  
"I'm back, Ben."  
Benedict smiled, and breathed in the smell of Martin and the shower gel.  
"Hmm, you're smelling really good." Ben whispered softly.  
Martin rubbed his nose through Benedict's hair on the side. He breathed in, and kissed him afterwards.  
"You too, darling."  
He kissed Ben's on the cheek, then Benedict's nose and the last, he pressed tenderly on his closed lips.  
"I'm lying down now."  
Martin wanted to break apart, but Benedict clutched his wrist.  
"What's wrong, honey?"  
"Just another kiss." Ben smiled, and opened his eyes briefly. "I want to give you a kiss. So please, lean down again." He smiled softly.  
Martin smiled and leaned down again.   
They both closed their eyes and kissed each other lovingly. Their lips were slightly open and their tongues danced with each other.   
Martin growled briefly into the kiss, when Benedict broke apart slowly. He still felt the teeth of Ben, who had gently bit him into the lower lip. 

Martin opened his eyes slowly, rubbed his nose once across Benedict's.  
"Could we agree, that you're the evil one next time? I don't want to be the one, who hurt you again. At first my impossible rude talking and my rude and hurtful words and behavior, and now the accident." Ben muttered.  
"The accident isn't your fault, Benedict. It wasn't your plan to get hit by a car, so that I almost get a heart attack. And the big fight wasn't meant like that; you just didn't talk to me beforehand, you didn't mean it like that, even so the words had hurt very much. But, love, you apologized, and I accepted your apologize, and so it's done. Everything is fine Ben, I love you. But if it is so important to you, I'll do my best and try to be the next one who's evil and who wil fight with you." Martin winked gently.  
"I'm sure you will find a topic." He squeezed gently Martin's wrist.  
"Of course, so why do you put your dirty clothes next to the laundry basket, instead of putting it right into it? And the drawer in the bedroom was open as well."  
Benedict looked at him, his eyes were big, apologetic and soothing.   
"Don't look at me like that, Benny. Everything is fine. I can't shut drawers and doors as well. And at the moment I am not in the mood for fighting, and I am too tried." Martin winked and smiled gently. He cupped Ben's face and gave him a short, small kiss on the lips, then he broke apart completely.  
"Try to sleep a bit. If you need anything, I'm next to you."  
"Hhm, earlier you weren't able to shut the refrigerator door properly." Ben said.

The two men looked at each other with a smile, and they smile got bigger, became a smirk, a grin, and then they giggled, chuckled and laughed with each other.   
Benedict held his ribs, grimaced, but he didn't stop laughing.  
"The next time we're probably fighting about the right position of the toilet paper." Martin laughed.   
"Stop to joke and fool around." Benedict laughed, and punched softly Martin's little tummy.  
"Hmh, or because of the television programme, the housekeeping, or the lack of tenderness and sex." Martin grinned.  
Benedict punched the little tummy again and laughed even more.  
"I'm taking out the trash, you will go shopping the groceries." Ben said while laughing.  
"Why I must do to the shopping?"  
"It takes always so long because almost every time someone wants to have a chat, a picture or an autograph. Can you remember the one weekend when we cooked together, and we have forget the cream, so I walked to the supermarket, and it took mean hour to get the cream, even so the supermarket is around the corner - just because I wanted to fulfill a few wishes from fans." Ben grinned.  
"It's the same with me, there's no difference" Martin smirked down.  
Benedict nodded eagerly, laughed and rubbed his ribs.  
"Of course, if you go, I can relax at home in the meantime."  
"Lazy bastard!" Martin shook his head and giggled.  
"Just saying." Ben grinned. "About the lack of sex and tenderness we also don't need to argue. I think there is no lack of sex and tenderness. Or have I missed something? " Ben asked with a bowed head.  
"No, it were just examples of what people in a relationship are arguing about. For me, there's enough sex and enough tenderness. It is neither too little nor too much." He smiled gently.  
"Well, for me it's the same, it's the right amount of sex and tenderness." He winked.   
Martin smiled and touseled affectionately through Ben's hair again. He went to his garden lounger.

As soon as Martin laid down, his eyes fluttered shut. Benedict had told him, that he will organize the sellig of his house and all the other things, because he has the time now.   
A few minutes passed untill the words arrived in his sleepy head. But when they arrived, they let his stomach tingle as hell.   
Most of the time, Ben had been visiting him, Ben had slept here, most of the their time, they had spent in Potters Bar.  
But it was a completely different feeling, to know that it would become their home.

Before he fell asleep, he nodded and growled approvingly and gently.  
A big smile spread across Benedict's face.


	77. Mark and Ian

The nights had been too short for Martin and for Benedict in last two weeks.   
Martin was busy during the week with the rehearsals for the new play - from morning till evening. Sometimes he had slept on the couch, Benedict had stayed in bed. He would have loved to stay with Benedict, but its ribs still hurt very much, and made it impossible to sleep through the whole night - and every time he woke up as well. But this wasn't good, he needed at least a bit of sleep, so that he was able to concentrate on the rehearsals.   
Benedict couldn't decide what was more worse, the fact, that he woke up Martin again and again, or that Martin slept on the couch sometimes. He couldn't blame him, Martin needed to go to work. 

In the evenings they had rehearsed Martins text in the last two weeks; Benedict had queried him.   
And Ben had written a list with things, Martin should bring from his house to Potters Bar. In the meantime most of his clothes, some books, other personal belongings, a few documents he had needed because of the accident, were at Martin's place now.   
During the day he had been by the lawyer, by the insurance; he had been at the orthopedic plaster control, and he had gotten a new plaster yesterday. Otherwise, his parents had visited him; Martin's parents had visited him with cake; even Jamie and Tim had been here for a nice smalltalk and to release him from the boredom. Last week, Amanda had been here for a breakfast; and on the day before yesterday, Matilda and Simon had been here briefly.   
The rest of the time he had spent with searching a new motorcycle. He had found one, wanted to have a look next week. Now the accident annoyed him even more - he wouldn't be able to drive this season again. It was something he almost complained about every day, when Martin was at home again. And he had told him repeatedly that maybe the weather was great in the fall and then he could go for a ride. 

 

It was Saturday night; they were sitting on Martin's terrace.   
The terrace light was switched on, two candles stood on the table, on which Martin, Benedict, Mark and his husband Ian sat comfortably.   
The four men had celebrated Ben's birthday tonight, and they had wanted to visit the injuried Ben. In the newspaper and on the Internet were articles with pictures from the day Martin fetched him up from the hospital, and there was an article with a picture from last week, when Ben had been at the orthopaedist. According to Simon, Amanda, Mark and Louise, there were lots of Get-well-soon-wished on Twitter.  
They had already eaten, sat together for some nice conversations.   
Mark was really happy, that Martin had called him briefly on the day after the accident. He was happy that he didn't get to know it from the internet. The first speculation and information had been pretty fast on the social networks. 

Martin scrambled up into the garden chair, looked at the others.  
"Coffee and cake?" He asked smiling.  
"That sounds really good. If accidentally two pieces fall on my plate, that wouldn't be a problem for me." Mark chuckled.  
"We will see what accidentally drops on your plate." Martin grinned.  
"For me one piece of cake is enough and a small coffee." Ian grinned up to Martin, who nodded.  
Ben turned his head slightly to Martin, looked up with a smile.  
"Can you bring me one piece and a cup of coffee?" Ben asked.  
Martin put his hand on Benedict's shoulder, pressed gently.  
"Cake yes, coffee no. You had enough today, you're not allowed to drink so much coffee withthe pills you take, Ben. I make you a cup of tea, okay? Or do you want anything else?"  
"I don't like it, I'm not allowed to drink much coffee, I'm not allowed to drink alcohol, I shouldn't drink so much black tea. What am I supposed to drink despite Cola and water?"  
"Milk." Mark laughed. "You can drink the milk, which I don't want to have in my coffee.“  
"Funny, Mark, really." Ben grinned.  
"There are still enough other teas, juice, other soft drinks, and hot chocolate." Martin smiled.  
"Then I take the hot chocolate, Dr. Watson!" Ben teased. Mark and Ian grinned widely.  
Martin pinched him in the shoulder, raised an eyebrow.  
"If you call me Dr. Watson one more time, I will send the British Government to you."  
"Ouch." Ben hummed.  
"I don't have my umbrella with me, Martin." Mark grinned to him.  
"Wardrobe." Martin just said with a grin. Mark nodded with abig smirk.  
Benedict hummed and sighed.  
"I'm taking the hot chocolate, and am I allowed to have a bit of whipping cream?" Ben asked sarcastically.  
Martin smiled down to him, pressed him a kiss on the hair, and then he wobbled with the his eyebrows.  
"We will see which decision Dr. Watson made in the kitchen." Martin answered sarcastically.   
He patted Benedict's shoulder again, and disappeared into the House.  
Mark laughed, stood up as well.  
"I help him."  
"You just want to check whether he gives you two pieces of cake." Ian and Ben grinned.  
"Well that is helping, I will help him to fill my plate properly." He grinned.  
He walked around the table, patted Benedict's shoulder, and walked into the kitchen to Martin.

Martin had already put out four plates, the cake and the two cups.   
He placed two cups under the coffee maker, turned his head to Mark and smiled at him.  
"The food was really good, Martin."  
"Thank you, your salad as well."  
"I have nothing to do with it, Ian had made the salad" He smirked.  
"Ian belongs to you." Martin grinned.  
"He? No, I just saw him on the side of the road, and I just took him with me because he had a salad bowl in his hands."  
They both laughed.  
Martin took the milk out of the refrigerator and he took another cup for Ben from the kitchen cabinet during their conversation.  
"Do you give Curlyhead the whipping cream?" Mark chuckled, and took care of the pears-mascarpone-cake.  
"Of course he gets the whipping cream." Martin smiled.  
"Lovely boyfriend, he can be really lucky."  
"I can't refuse him the whipping cream, too. I know that he loves coffee, but it's really not good with all theses pills, and to be honest, he have had enough coffee for today - he can't sleep that well."  
'Yes, you're right. Can you sleep?“  
"Not really, I wake up with him every time. During the week I had moved downstairs to the sofa a couple of times Last night, it didn't matter to me - I have had a nap in the garden this afternoon, and Ben on the sofa."  
"Really stupid with the ribs. I can imagine that this hurts really much. And it hurts every time he breathes, he laughs, he moves, he sneezes or coughs. It's really shitty."  
"You're right, he says it would be the best if he stands and when he's not breathing. But that are not really good option. I would love to do him something good, but I can't do more than look that he's takings his meds."  
Mark nodded and pulled the trigger of the coffee machine.   
"Do you want coffee?"  
"No, for me just cake. We need sugar and for Ian, right? " He asked.  
"Yes Ian needs sugar and milk." He smiled, and patted Martins shoulder. "I'm sure Ben is in good hands by his family doctor, his orthopaedist, and his physiotherapist. And I'm sure he's in goo hands with you, even so you can't do much, I think for him it's more than enough that you're just here."  
Martin smiled at him thankfully,a nd looked after him, when Mark left the kitchen with the two coffees.   
Martin put the rest of the things onto a tablet and followed Mark.

They drank the hot chocolate and the coffee, and Martin the remaining beer, which was still in his bottle.   
They ate the cake, Martin had made this morning with Benedict.  
And they enjoyed the rest of the evening, until Mark and Ian went to their car and set off after a hearty goodbye and good night.

Martin and Benedict strolled back onto the terrace.   
"Sit down, love. I clean up a bit, it isn't much to do" Martin smiled, and stroked Benedict's back.  
In fact, only their glasses stood onto the table, as well a a few bottles - wine, water, beer. The rest, as well as the food, they had cleaned up earlier.  
"Then I come with you already, or do you want to come back and sit here for a while, Martin?"  
"No, not necessarily." Martin smiled, and took the glasses.  
Ben took his cup and followed Martin, who went back outside to fetch up the bottles.

"You can't just sit down, can't you, honey?" Martin smiled as he saw that Benedict put the glasses and the cups into the dishwasher.  
"I don't want that you have to do everything alone." Ben smiled.  
"You've helped me with everything today, Ben. You've helpef me with the breakfast, with the cake, you dished the table,... and Mark and Ian have helped as well."  
"You cooked alone." Benedict stated.  
"Yes, it was okay. Ben, really. I like to do that, it wasn't a problem."  
"I know, Martin. Anyway, I can move, so why should I lie on the sofa and watch you, when I'mable to help, at least a bit." He smiled.  
"You're too polite for this world." Martin smiled, and came to him after he had cleared away the bottles. He stroked gently across Benedict's chest. "I go upstairs to have a shower... "  
Benedict giggled, and bowed his head after he had calmed down.  
"Could you also imagine to have a bath with me? Showering is so annoying with the plaster."  
"Bath with you sounds much better."

The pair went upstairs to the bathroom.  
Martin turned on the water and put two towels next to the bathtub, while Benedict slowly undressed himself.   
Martin started to undress as well, he slipped out of his boxer brief, and turned around to Ben.  
All the clothes as well as the medical splint lay next to Ben. On his right upper body was a large bruise - blue and purple - in the area of the broken and bruised ribs. Otherwise, one saw more small bruises and grazes; the left foot was thick, also quite blue on the side.   
Martin stroked very gently and carefully across the large bruise on the upper body, and breathed him a kiss on the chest.   
Benedict closed his eyes, grimaced slightly, as Martin's finger ran softly across the bruise - but he enjoyed the delicate touch, as well as the kiss on his chest.   
Martin smiled gently up to him; his fingertips ran across Benedict's belly to his hips. The lips were kissing Ben's chest up to his neck.   
Benedict sighed with pleasure and with closed eyes.  
"I will take care of you in the bathtub, sweetheart." Martin smiled, and broke apart.

Martin got in first, leaned back, and then Ben followed slowly - he sat down between Martin's legs.   
"Wait, before you lean back, I will wash your hair."  
Benedict smiled, closed his eyes, and waited anxiously on what Martin would do next.   
Martin had taken one of the cups, which stood near the bathtub, he filled it with water, poured it over Benedict's shoulders, who shivered pleasantly, and enjoyed the warm water. Martin repeated the procedure several times, filled the cup and poured the water over Ben's shoulders.  
"Are your eyes closed?" Martin asked gently.  
"Hmh, they're." Ben muttered with a pleasureable voice.  
Martin smiled, raised his hand, stroked Ben's hair slightly backwards, and poured the water on it.   
Benedict shivered pleasantly again and again, every time Martin repeated the procedure.   
The next thing Benedict heard was that the cup was putting down on the edge of the tub, then a clicking of the shampoo bottle. He heard the squeeze, a click again and the putting down on the edge of the bathtub. He sighed when he felt Martin's hands in his hair.   
Martin's hands massaged the shampoo into Ben hair, he massaged his neck down to his shoulders.   
Ben sighed again, he enjoyed the soft massage, he enjoyed Martin's hands and fingers, which massaged his neck, his shoulders, his shoulder blades and his head. And he needed to sigh and to purr every now and then.  
"This is awesome." Ben whispered witha cozy voice.  
He growled when the hands disappeared, he could literally feel Martins smile.  
"Just a moment, honey." Martin said smiling, and filled the cup with water again. "Caution, there's water again."  
Benedict nodded slowly. His eyes were still closed, because he had enjoyed the caressing of Martin so much. Now, he could feel Martin's hand again in his hair, and then the water, which flowed down from his hair to his neck, down his shoulders.   
Martin's hand ran through Benedict's hair again, and he breathed him a kiss on the neck.  
"Okay, come to me, love." Martin whispered with a warm voice.  
He didn't need to wait any second, Ben snuggeled immediatly with him.  
"Can you sit like this, Benny?"  
"Yes, it's fine like that." Ben smiled, and leaned his head against Martin's collarbone.

Martin smiled and breathed him a kiss on the temple. His hands caressed Ben's sides downwards to the thighs - slowly and gently. His lips kissed from Ben's temple to his ear, he nibbled gently with his teeth.   
Benedict groaned softly, slipped a bit higher, cuddled his temple more on Martin's cheek.   
Martin rubbed his nose through Ben's hair and distributed small kisses into the hair. His hands massaged Ben's thighs, which let Benedict spread his legs. Martin took advantage of it and breathed his fingertips across the heated skin on the inner side of Ben's thighs. The fingernails scratched teasingly across the skin, which let Ben moan in pleasure. Martin's finger of the right hand, scratching slowly to Benedict's cokh. He felt that his partner was aroused, and let his finger slide over Ben's balls. After that, his the fingertip breathed across Ben's erection again - softly and teasingly.   
Benedict groaned deeply, and he hummed, when Martin just caressed his stomach.  
Martin's other hand massaged the thighs, the tips of the finger crawled his inner thigh - teasingly, he was touching almost Ben's throbbing cock.

Martin's right hand stroked upwards to Benedict's nipple - and his thumb rubbed across it teasingly.   
Benedict tilted the head back, put it on Martin's shoulder, bowed his head lightly away from him.   
Martin accepted the invitation and kissed every part of the neck he could reach with his lips - he kissed, he licked, he sucked, he bit, while he teased Benedict's nipple and his inner thigh with his fingers.   
"This is torture, Martin!" Ben whispered with a hum and a loud moan.  
Martin kissed to Ben's ear.  
"You would have a free and healthy hand, which could help you." Martin whispered hoarsely.  
Benedict arms lay on the edge of the bathtub; he wanted to put his healthy hand into the water, he wanted to stroke himself eagerly.   
Martin bit him gently in the neck, pinched his thigh.   
Benedict bit his lip, his eyes rolled back behind closed eyelids.  
"Hand out of the water! I said could... not is allowed to do it. You nee to be more patient. " He whispered into Benedict's ear.  
Benedict's heart raced, his stomach tingled, the ribs started to hurt from the frantic breathing, but he didn't care about it now. He wanted to enjoy Martin's torture, so he had to go through it now. 

Martin stroked his erection again - just once, just teasingsly. His fingers scratched his chest, the thumb rubbed across the nipple, and his teeth nibbled at Ben's ear.   
Benedict made a fist with his hand and moaned excitedly.  
"Damn it, Martin! Come on. There is something else between the chest and thigh, what needs your attention - urgently."  
"Your belly?" Martin purred, and ran his hand from Ben's chest to the stomach.  
"I hate you." Ben groaned. "Between belly and thighs, you terrible man."  
Martin smiled. His hand crawled from the inner thigh to Ben's balls, massaged them softly, and his other hand cupped Ben's throbbing erection.  
His partner groaned loudly.  
"Oh, that you mean, I almost forget about it." Martin whispered into Benedict's ear.   
Ben rolled his eyes full of lust, his eyelids fluttered shut again, and he groaned hoarsely, made a fist again and again, and put the hand on the edge of the bathub.

Martin's hands pampered him skillfully; he massaged Ben's balls intense, stroked his full length up and down with pressure, sometimes with a teasing breath; the thumb rubbed across the tip, and sometimes just a finger ran across every pooping vein of Ben's cock. And hile he was doing that, he sucked and licked and kissed an bit Ben's ear and neck.   
Benedict moaned, groaned, sighed and purred. He enjoyed it very much. But he hummed not really satisfied, when Martins hands broke apart.  
"Martin!... Please." He whispered hoarsely, breathed frantically, tilted the head in the neck, pressed him more against Martin's shoulder.   
"Oooohh. Fuck... Martin!" He groaned, when Martin once again cupped his erection and his balls. And this time his movements were even more intense.   
"Oh yes. Perfect... that's perfect. Fuck. That is so good." He purred excitedly, and clawed firmly into the edge of the bathtub.   
Martin's erection was pressed against Benedict's back; he broke his lips, groaned - just Benedict's voice, which was deep, dark and hot, was sex pure - his moaning was music in Martin's ears.   
"Ben. Ben... lean forward." Martin moaned.

Benedict lifted his head and his upper body. He could feel that Martins right hand, which had crawled his balls disappeared. And then he heard an excited moan from him.   
Benedict shivered pleasantly; Martin's hand stroked his erection with a faster pace, with more pressure - it was hard to hold back an orgasm, he was really close - but his head cinema was on full run, when he heard Martin's moan. The imagination of what Martin was doing behind him, that he was wanking was too much, he couldn't hold his orgasm back any longer - that image of Martin, how he wanked was just too much, and he didn't even need to fantasy about it, he knew exactly how Martin looked during a wank, they had seen each other doing it a lot of times - at home, and during sex via Skype.   
He reached his climax with a loud moan, thrusted into Martin's fist. He clawed his fingers more into the bathtub, tilted his head back, and his eyelids fluttered shut and open again and again - in pure relish. He enjoyed the last waves of his orgasm - sighed. 

Martin stroked Ben through the orgasm, and then he caressed Ben's thigh again, softly and lovingly, while he pressed his face into Ben's neck.   
Martin moaned more and more, the pace was fast and intense, he rubbed with his thumb across his tip; and clawed his other hand sometimes into Ben's thigh.  
"Fuck, Martin. This is incredibly arousing."  
In Martin's head, his hand became Benedict's hand, he clawed into Ben's thigh, the hand became more intense and faster. And he could feel the orgasm, which ran through every fibre of his body.  
"Ohhhhh. Ben... fuckfuckfuck. Benny, Benny." Martin moaned loudly and deeply.   
He pressed his face against Benedict's neck, his hand didn't stop the caressing - only when the last wave of his orgasm was gone. 

He wrapped both arms around Benedict's belly, cuddled the stubbly cheek against Benedict's shoulder. He closed his eyes, sighed.  
And he enjoyed the warm water with Benedict, who enjoyed Martin's cuddling very much.


	78. Barbecue

Another week had passed since their evening with Mark and Ian.   
Yesterday Benedict had been in the afternoon at the physiotherapy for the first time, and in the morning he had been at the orthopaedic surgeon in London. During the day he played Solitaire on Martins laptop, watched television, read books, and he took care of the accident with his lawyer and the insurance - and he took care about his house in London. He was always happy about the change in the evening, when Martin was back home; then they cooked together, and he was able to help Martin with his text, sometimes they rehearsed a bit.   
Simon and his familiy, as well as Amanda hadn't been there this week, becasue of appointments; his parents were on vacation, and Martins parents were away as well, to visit relatives. Benedict and Laura, Martin's brother and sister lived too far away; and Tim and Jamie, had to do other things in the last week.  
When he had been in London yesterday, he had met Tom for a second breakfast, and after that they had driven to the motorcycle shop.   
The new machine was ordered, and Martin had needed to listen to a complaining Ben again last night - as always the same, Ben hadcomplained, that he couldn't drive it now.   
He was bored, it was paradoxical how much he wished sometimes when he's working to have a few days off - to have a few days just for himself. Now he had time for himself but he was not able to do something, or at least, he wasn't able to do the things he wanted to to.   
He had told his agent that she could plan appointments in mid-September again, and that he would perceive already planned appointments, as long as it was just an interview or other press appointments. He needed something to do.

Martin had slept more often with with Benedict in the bedroom this week.   
During the week he had been intercepted after the rehearsals by various journalists, whether TV or newspaper - everyday. They all had asked questions about Benedict; if everything was alright, how he felt, what exactly happened.   
It had already pretty annoyed him on the second day. Just because his work is publicly, doesn't mean that his private life is publicly, too. It annoyed him, that everyone needed to know everything about someone else nowadays.   
Partly he had really needed to control himself to be not really rude.   
The only thing he had told them every day was that Benedict felt better.   
And yesterday at th end of the week, he had been so annoyed, that he needed to say a few serious words. He had said it with absolutely clarity and seriousness, withouth being rude or anything. He just had made very clear, that it would be enough now; that he didn't want to hear these questions anymore, and that he wouldn't comment them anymore; and that he was willing to another questions about his or Benedict's professional life, but that there was a line they all shouldn't cross - and now they all have reached this line to his an Ben's private life. It was just enough.

 

For tonight, they had invited Simon, Maureen, Matilda and Amanda to a barbecue.   
Because Martin was ultimately the only vegetarian, they used his smaller grill for fish and vegetables, and from the neighbors they had borrowed another one for meat ad sausages. Simon had already declared to be pitmaste.  
In the morning they had been shopping the last few groceries, and together they had prepared salads and bread.   
Martin set the table; he was wearing a blue button up shirt, whose sleeves were rolled up to his elbows,and whose frist two buttons were open; and he was wearing dark blue jeans.   
Benedict sat on the couch at the moment, he was wearing a dark polo shirt, the first two buttons open as well, and he wore a dark casual trousers.  
When the doorbell rang, Ben opened his eyes again; he sat up.  
"I go, honey." He yelled to Martin on the terrace.  
"Thank you, Benny." A warm voice yelled back.  
Ben got up, went to the door and opened it.  
He couldn't see someon, at least not on his eye level.

Thin arms were wrapped around his legs - happily.  
Benedict lowered his gaze; he saw two blue beaming eyes up, a wide smile and long blonde hair.  
"Hi Ben!" The girl beamed up to him.  
"Hey Matilda." Ben smiled, and stroked over her head. "Are you alone today?" He winked.  
"I don't have a boyfriend,... and you're already taken as well. But Uncle Martin would be the first one in line anyway. But he's taken, too." The seven years old matilda said with a grin.   
"You prefer Martin?" He asked aghast, and made Matilda laugh.  
"Yessss, I know him longer, and he's smaller than you." Matilda grinned sweetly, and put her index finger to her mouth.  
"I won't tell him that one reason for his preferability is, that he's small." Ben laughed.  
"Great, otherwise he will be grumpy." She smirked. "I'm not alone Ben, but the others are still at the car; Amanda has baked another cake, and mom and dad have made two other salads."  
"Do you think we can eat all these things?" Benedict grinned.  
"No, but Dad and Martin love food, they will eat very much." She grinned cheekily. "Where's Martin?"  
"And I'm already written off again,... the little fellow is in the garden." He chuckled.  
"Sorry Ben, I can't snuggle and cuddly with you; Daddy said it will hurt you, if I cuddle and hug you too much and too tight. with you." She smiled, hugged his legs again, an then she ran through the house into the garden.   
Simon, Amanda and Maureen walked to Benedict and smiled at him.

Matilda stopped on the terrace, she almost bumped into Martin.  
"Jesus, you scared me, sweetheart." Martin smiled, and even Matilda looked a bit frightened.  
"I didn't know that I have a little whirlwind in my house." Martin grinned.  
Matilda grinned, stretched out her arms; and Martin lifted her up. Matilda wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.  
"You're pretty quiet, sweetheart. And you're heavier than last time." He teased her.  
"And you're smaller than last time!" She countered with a big grin.  
Martin laughed, held her still on his arm.  
"You're getting bigger, that's why it seems that I getting smaller."  
"You've always an excuse." She grinned broadly, and gave him a kiss on the cheek.  
Martin grinned, and gave her also a sweet kiss.  
"You should hang around with your daddy that much, he teachs you to be naughty and cheeky."  
"Daddy says, it's something you teachs me." She laughed.  
"He has always an excuse." He grinned, and raised an eyebrow.  
"You're both naughty and both of you have always an excuse!" She grinned at him, and she hugged him again, before Martin let her down again.  
"Who is naughty and has always an excuse?" Simon asked, when came outdoors with the others; in one hand, he held the salad bowl, which he put down onto the table.  
"No one Daddy!" Matilda smirked, and was looking for a place to sit." Where are you sitting, Martin?"  
"I don't know, honey. Do you want me to sit next to you later?"  
"Yes!" She smiled, and sat down on one of the chairs.  
Martin nodded and smiled at her.

Maureen put the other salad bowl onto the table; Amanda had left her cake in the kitchen, for later.  
Martin smiled to the others: he came to Maureen, then to Amanda - he hugged both and gave them both a kiss on the cheek. And he got a hug and a kiss back. At the end, he hugged Simon amicably, and squeezed his shoulder.   
"What do you want to drink?" Ben asked.  
"I take a beer." Simon said.  
"Red wine" Amanda and Maureen said at the same time, and grinned.  
"Orange juice." Matilda smiled across the table.  
"I take a beer, too. I'm coming with you." Martin smiled gently.  
"Shall I already start to grill?" Simon asked. Benedict and Martin nodded. "Well, both of you agree, so I will start." He chuckled, and went into the kitchen with Martin and Benedict to fetch up the meat, sausages, vegetables and fish. 

Benedict grabbed two bottles of beer out of the fridge, breathed Martin a kiss on the neck, who took a red wine from the tray. Ben walked into the garden again, he put Martins beer to the plate, which was next to Matildas, and then he brought the other one to Simon.  
Martin had looked after Ben with a smile; and he was still smiling while he opened the wine in the kitchen. He also took the orange juice for Matilda, and came out again. He gave Amanda and Maureen a glass of wine, and poured into Matildas glass the orange juice. And then he sat down as well.  
They clinked glasses at the table.  
Martin turned around to Simon, they both raised their bottles, and then Martin turned around again and faced the ladies, and Simon talked with Ben again.

On the table stood the other salads, various cutted baguettess, the antipasti was ready and also various sauces. On the grill sizzled the sausages, the turkey and pork steaks, and on the other one the fish and various vegetables.

Martin and Matilda had turned their chairs around to the two other men; Amanda and Maureen were already in the right position.   
Simon turned around one of the sausages, in the other hand he held his beer.  
"Today, I've had an appointment in London, and they asked me how you're doing, and if I would have heard from you." Simon said.  
"Jesus, you should ask Martin, they bothered him the whole week at the theatre, in the morning when he came to the theater, and in the evening when he left it. I was in London today, at the orthopaedist and to have a second breakfast with Tom, but no one has approached me, lucky me.  
"Hiddleston?" Simon asked, and Ben nodded. "Ah great, I saw him briefly on Monday. Well, I just said, that you're probably feeling better. I think, they didn't like it, that I said just that."  
"Martin hasn't said anyhing, as well." He turned his head to Martin. "Right, darling? You gave them a good telling-off, yesterday." Ben chuckled.  
"Yes! They have bothered me last week, every day, twice a day - before the rehearsals, and after the rehearsals, and somethimes when I wanted to got out for some lunch. It was really annoying. Every time other people, from the Sun and the Daily Mail, and I don't know, a lot of journalists and photographers."  
Simon grinned at him.  
"Oh, have you gone really mad?"   
'No. I held myself back. I said it nicely, but with clarity and seriousness. I told them that all is fine, and that they should stop to mob me, because it's our private life. I just told them that Ben is doing better, and that should be enough, to be honest. I hope they got it. Really, the fans have behaved much better than the press in the last three weeks. They have been really kind and private. People, who have stopped me, have just asked if I could greet him, and wish him all the best and a good recovery. They didn't asked what happened, or what he's doing now, or anything like that. They just wanted me to greet him.   
"Yeah, they are mostly more kind and private than the press. The interviewer asked me out as well. The sentence I used the most was: No comment!. They wanted to know what exactly happened and all that shit."

Ben shook his head; when it came to all these journalists, then he was really happy to be at Martin's place the most of the time, so they couldn't bother him with that.  
"It's absolutely none of their business. That I've had a motorcycle accident should be enough for the moment." Ben said.  
"Maybe they got the telling-off of Martin." Maureen said.  
Martin looked up at her and nodded with a smile. He let his gaze briefly run across the table.  
"For fuck's sake! The bread with the herbed butter is still in the oven!" Martin sweared, and stood up abruptly.  
"Martin!" Maureen said in a warning voice.  
Martin bit his lip, laid the hand in front of his mouth.  
"Oops. Sorry."  
Matilda grinned, as well as Simon; Amanda chuckled, and Benedict giggled, before he smiled gently.  
"No need to worry about the bread, honey. I switched of the oven, when we've fetched up the drinks."  
Martin sighed with relief. He was able to live without black burned bread. Anyway, he wanted to go into the kitchen, to take the bread, because all the things on the grill would probably be ready in a few minutes.

Maureen looked to him, when he circled the table.  
"It's really unbelievable with you two! Simon has already sweared the whole afternoon while he was making the salads with Matilda. And he used especially this word!"  
Simon grinned just innocently and turned back to the grill. Martin patted gently her shoulder, when he walked past her.  
"Your daughter lives with him for 7 years now, and look at her, she's still an angel" He winked at the last word to Matilda. "So my little swearing won't make it worse."  
And with that he rather disappeared into the house.  
Maureen smiled after him and shook her head in amusement. 

Simon was busy with the meat and sausages; Benedict with the fish and vegetables; Martin was in the kitchen; and the women sipped their wine.   
Mathilda's legs dangled from the chair; she watched her father and Benedict. She had been really looking forward all day to see him and Martin. It was always great fun with Martin, and he was always very charming to her, even though he could be quite grumpy sometimes - but that was mostly funny and cute as well. And with Ben it had been always fun, too; even though she didn't know him that long, but New Year's Eve had been really great with him, and the other short meetings before and after New Year's eve had always been funny and lovely, too. It was just, that she knew Martin much longer; actually her parents and Martin were friends since nearly 17 years now and it was almost the same with Amanda, who was the best friend of her mother.   
She couldn't really remember Martin's last girlfriend; there was a photograph of her, Martin and his last girlfriend, but if she was honest, she couldn't remember her, she couldn't even remember her name - but this wasn't a big thing, it was almost five years ago, and so she had been only two years old back then. She hadn't even remembered that Martin had ever had a girlfriend. Only when Simon showed her that picture after the New Year's Eve. She had asked, whether Martin had aever had a girlfriend, or just boyfriends, and then her dad had shown her this picture - and he had said, that Benedict would fit much better to him, and that he was really glad that two of his closest friends have fallen in love with each other.


	79. Barbecue 2.0

Only small crumbs were lying on the wooden board on which the herb bread had been located.   
The salads bowls were almost empty, but all the starters were gone, all the fish, the vegetables, the sausages and the meat.   
The plates were empty and the bellies filled to bursting point.   
The sky was dark, and the little terrace lights and a few candles on the table lit up the terrace and conjured a pleasant atmosphere.   
Benedict, Simon and Matilda were sitting at the table; Amanda, Maureen and Martin had cleaned up a bit, and were now sitting on the garden loungers. Maureen and Martin shared one; Amanda sat on the other -opposite of them.

Matilda had fetched up paper and a pen out of Martins house; she drew while she was sitting on Simons lap, who talked with Benedict.   
"When can you pick up the new machine?" Simon asked.  
"In four weeks. I need to say, in the last weeks, I was pretty annoying. I'm really sorry that Martin needed to listen to all my whining, that I'm not able to ride a motorcycle at the moment, and that the new one isn't here, yet."  
"Ben, even if the new maschine would be here, you couldn't drive. And you're taking strong meds, and you're in pain, and I think it's not that good to ride a motocycle with a plastered hand and arm. Really, I think, it's not neccessary to have the next accident that soon. Rather your motorcycle is scrap than you." Simon smiled.  
"Martin had said exactly the same thing, just with other words."  
"What has he said, when you told after two days, that you're looking for a new maschine?" Simon smirked.  
"He was a bit grumpy for a moment." Ben smirked. "He had asked what I've done the whole day, and well, one thing was, that I'Ve looked for a new motorcycle. He got grumpy, but then it was okay. And now, he really looked forward to the new one as well, and we wanted to buy clothes for him, so that we can make a few tours together."  
"I would have been grumpy as well for a few moments. I mean it's just worrying and caring about a loved one. He loves you, and I think he was just afraid and still in shock, after that accident. But well, I mean, how often one crashed with a skateboard or bicycle or whatever as a kid, and one stood up again, and sat on that bike again." Simon said. "What about moving in? Are there any news with your house in London?" Simon smiled.  
Benedict smiled to him and nodded, twirled his glass in his hand.  
"Martin has carried a lot of my stuff from London to Potters Bar. There should be more things here, than in my house in London. Apart from the furniture, but that we don't need it. And the agent knows that I want to sell it - she wants to do that, when the house is empty.“  
"Wow, that sounds good. In a way it's good that you're at home at the moment, so you two can organize that properly. I'm really happy for you guys - so in a few weeks or month there will be a Freebatch household." He grinned broadly.  
Ben grinned as well.  
Matilda put the pen onto the table, freed herself from Simons hug and jumped off of his lap. Simon smiled to her.  
"Where you're going, honey?" He asked gently.  
"Martin." She beamed, and already sped to Martin.

She ran from the terrace over the grass to the others.   
Amanda saw her coming and waved to her; Matilda waved back witha big smile, then knelt on the garden lounger behind Martin and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.  
"Oh noooo, another woman." He grinned, and put his hand on her arms.  
Matilda grinned, pressed her cheek against his.  
"You're much-loved with women." She grinned.  
"If Ben don't want me any longer, then I will marry you, sweetheart." He chuckled, and got a happy kiss on his cheek.  
"Wait a minute! I have still a say in that matter, my dear Martin." Maureen grinned.  
Martin turned his head with abig grin her, while Matilda was still hugged him.  
"I will love even more, if you get me some cake with whipping cream and a hot chocolate with whipping cream and chocolate powder."  
"Are you hungry again?" Martin smiled.  
"I haven't eaten so much, so that I'm able to eat very much of Amanda's cake."  
"Okay, but then you need to let me go, honey." He smiled, and looked at the other two. "Do you want coffee and cake, too?"  
"We come with you and help you." Amanda smiled, and patted his thigh.

While the women and Martin were busy in the kitchen with the cake, the coffee and two cups of hot chocolate for Matilda and Ben, the other men sat still comfortably at the table and talked. Benedict had drew a bit on Matildas picture; he enjoyed the evening, the atmosphere, and in particular the image of Martin and Matilda.  
Maureen came already out with a tray and put the plates with the cake down. Matilda followed her with two hot chocolates; she gave Ben one of the cups, and put her own down onto the table. Amanda and Martin followed with the coffee mugs, gave one to Simon and one to Maureen, and sat down. And this time Matilda sat down onto Martin's lap. It was just one plate for them, with two pieces of cake and two forks.   
"You have to watch out, Ben. The two are already half engaged." Amanda grinned.  
"What? These two over there? " He nodded irritated to Martin and Matilda.  
"Yes; Martin had said he would marry Matilda, if you break up with him." Amanda smirked with Maureen.  
"I don't know if I want him as my son-in-law!" Simon grinned, and put the next piece of cake into his mouth.  
"We're still in a relationship, and you already thinking about your next one, and planning your next one?" Ben smirked. "I think the fresh air isn't doing you good."  
"I have to provide for the future. She's only 7 years old, so I need to wait until she's an adult. That will take another 11 years, then I'm almost 56. I need to watch out, that I'm not alone with 56, that someone wants to have me as a partner." Martin grinned.

They all laughed, and Simon grinned widely; he leaned in and patted Martin's shoulder.  
"Someone will take pity on you. You're sweet." He smiled and winked in love. "But. Not. My. Daughter!" He poked his finger against Martin's shoulder.  
Martin grinned broadly, he shook his head in amusement, and put cake in his mouth.   
"And, the fantasy of my son-in-law or daughter-in-law was another one." Simon sat down again, and grinned.  
"What's wrong with me?" Martin asked after swallowing his cake.  
"In my fantasy, the person is always nice and polite, and not that small and cheeky and rude and grumpy. Do you want to hear more?" Simon grinned, and waved his fork back and forth.  
"I think you wanted to go right now, aren't you?" You're such an a... "  
"Martin!" Amanda and Maureen called out.  
"... absolutely great friend, you're my best friend, I love you so much, Simon. That's what I always have wanted to say you." Martin saved himself.  
He put the empty plate onto the table and leaned back again. Matilda snuggled with him, grinned with him, and she whispered into his ear, what he really had wanted to say.   
They both giggled.

The rest of the evening and night was filled with lovely conversations; one could mainly hear the voices of Benedict, Simon, Maureen and Amanda. They were talking with each other across the table; they laughed; they drank their wine, beer, water, a cup of coffee.   
Matilda had become quiet; her arms were hanging loosely around Martin's neck, her cheek was lying on his shoulder, her legs were hanging on each side of the chair. Martin has laid a hand on her back, and the other on on the back of her head. He hadn't said anyhing since awhile; he just listened to the conversations of the others. He looked around and met Benedict's gaze.   
The couple smiled gently at each other, with warm eyes, and Martin winked across the table. 

The others stopped their conversations - it was quiet at the table, for a moment one just could hear the light rustling wind and leaves, and the chirping of crickets.  
Maureen looked to Martin and Matilda, and then to her husband.  
"Are we going home, darling? It's almost half past two."  
Simon nodded with a smile, and looked to ben and Martin.  
"We leave the Salad bowls here. I will come over next week to annoy your hubby, and then I will take them with me." He smiled, and stood up.  
Martin smiled and nodded.  
"That's okay, Simon."  
Benedict, Amanda and Maureen stood up as well.   
"Matilda is asleep, right?" Maureen asked.  
"Yes, she fell asleep rigth after the cake and the hot chocolate." Martin smiled, and stood slowly up with her on his arms.

They went to the front door.  
They said goodbye to Benedict, with a warm an carefull hug, and two soft kisses on the cheek; they thanked him for the great evening, and said, that they would visit him as soon as possible. And then they walked with Martin, who was carrying Matilda, to the car.  
Simon unlocked the car and opened the rear door for Martin. And without waking up his daughter, Martin managed it to sat her down and to fasten her sest belt.  
"She will be grumpy in the morning, because she wasn't able to kiss you two goodbye." Simon said.  
"I don't want to wake her up. Tell her that we will go for a trip, as soon as Ben is feeling a bit better. Now it is just inconvenient, Ben isn't feeling that good, that a day trip would be the right thing."  
"We will tell her. It's fine, Martin. She will look forward to it, whether it is in two weeks or two months." Maureen smiled now, an then hugged him tightly. "The barbecue war great."  
Martin hugged her as well, and stroked across her back.   
"It was. Get home safely." He smiled, and dissipated.  
Amanda smiled at him, hugged him, and he hugged her back, and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  
"I hope Ben shares the cake with you.“  
"I will share it and hide my pieces." He smirked before dissipating.  
Amanda grinned, and got into the car with Maureen; she and Simon, would bring her home.  
"It was really lovely, that you've been here. Ben was really happy to see you all." Martin smiled, and hugged Simon amicably, and squeezed his shoulder.  
"It'S the same for us, Martin. It was great, and lovely to see you two. Have a beautiful Sunday " He smiled, and squeeued Martin shoulder.  
"You too." Martin smiled and broke apart.  
He raised his hand again when Simon got into the car, started the engine and then drove off.

When the car vanished around the corner, Martin went back to the front door.   
Benedict smiled at him, had waited for him.   
Martin smiled to him, stroked gently across the flat stomach, put his hand on Benedict's hip, stretched slightly upwards, so that he was standing on his tiptoes and captured Ben's lips for a gentle and tender kiss.   
Benedict's hand laid on Martin's back, he pressed him closer.

And after Martin's kiss they went in and closed the door.


	80. Till we meet again

It was still very quiet in the Martin's house, one could just hear the quiet snoring of Martin and Benedict.   
Benedict laid on his back, and Martin laid next to him on his side. Martin's arms were wrapped around Ben's right arm, his face was pressed against Benedict's upper arm.   
The first little sun rays shone into the bedroom, and one could hear the first singing birds.   
The radio alarm clock rang out, played the last chords of 'Photograph'.   
Martin snarled, he pressed the face even closer against Benedict's upper arm. He had been already half awake, but he had hoped that it wasn't that late, that he maybe could go back to sleep.   
The song stopped and the voice of the radio presenter rang out, announced the title and singer of the song again in a good mood; and he wished all his listeners a good morning and good work day, and was with the information that today was September the 2 and that it would be 6.30am, on Friday, the news rang out.   
Martin sighed, kissed Benedict's upper arm, who had hummed as well, after he had heard the voice from the radio.   
"Morning." Martin muttered. He ran his hand through Ben's hair. " I get up, I'll come upstairs before I leave, to say good bye, love." He yawned, and ran his hand again through Benedict's hair, before he stood up and turned off the radio alarm clock. 

He yawned heartily and stretched, and got himself fresh underwear, socks, t-shirt, shirt and trouser. And then he shuffled towards the bathroom.   
Once there he dropped the things, undressed and turned on the shower.   
The cold water revived his spirits a bit. Afterwards he brushed his teeth, wondered whether he should shave or not - he decided against it and just got dressed before he went down to the kitchen.   
It was 6.45 am, he needed to be in London at 8.30 am.   
He made himself a cup of tea, a toast with jam, and took a yogurt out of the refrigerator. He put his cup, the plate and the spoon with the yogurt on the kitchen island and sat down on one of the bar stools.  
The date sheet of the physiotherapy was within his reach; Martin stretched out his hand and pulled the paper to him. 

One could hear te toilet flushing, and a few moments later, Benedict walked into the kitchen.  
Martin turned his head around and smiled; he pushed the the note aside.   
Benedict wrapped his arms around his partner, pressed his face into his neck, yawned, and then he kissed Martin's neck.   
"Morning." His deep voice mumbled sleepily.  
Martin smiled and sighed when he felt Benedict's lips.  
"Hey, do you want to get up already?" Martin asked gently.  
"No, I needed the loo, I will lie down on the sofa, when you're of to London." He pressed a kiss on Martin's cheek, and caressed across Martins shirt - across his tummy.  
He broke apart and sat down next to Martin on the other bar stool - he was just wearing his black boxer briefs. He supported his head on his hand and watched Martin with a smile, who was eating his two slices of jam toast.  
"Don't forget that you've physiotherapy at 11 o'clock, today."  
"Hm, I know, and in the afternoon I need to drive to London for the appointment with the orthopaedist."  
"Oh yeah, right. Shall I fetch you up, darling?" Martin smiled, and began to spoon his yogurt..  
"Hmh, you could do that, hun. Or we could meet at Harpers, to look for some motorcycle clothes for you, if you want to do that." Ben said gently.  
"A good idea, do you want to meet at Harpers?" Martin smiled.  
"Yes, let us meet there, do you think you can be there at 6 o'clock?" Ben smiled, and still watched Martin.  
"I think that could work out, maybe a few minutes later."

Benedict stayed with Martin, until Martin had finished his toasts, the yogurth and his tea.   
After his breakfast, Martin cleared his plate an cup, and then returned to Benedict, who had just stood up.   
Martin laid his arm around Ben's nacked and warm upper body, hugged him carefully. His lips kissed Ben's collarbone.   
"I need to go, darling. Make yourself a beautiful day. We will see each other in the evening at Harpers." He smiled up to Ben.   
Ben leaned down a bit, gave Martin a short kiss and nodded.  
"Hm, I lie down again now and take a nap. Have a nice day at the rehearsals, honey." Ben said, and ran his thumb across Martin's scratchy cheek.  
And then the two men broke apart.  
Martin nodded.  
"Thank you." Martin smiled, and went into the hallway, where he grabbed a light jacket and his bag, and opened the door.  
"See you, Benny."  
"Yes, see you later, Martin."

When the door fell into the lock, Ben went into the living room; he laid down, pulled the fleece blanket above him, and closed his eyes again.  
Martin spent his day at the rehearsals; Benedict at Martin's place and at the physiotherapy, he ate lunch at Martin's place and laid down for another nap, before he went to London by train, to meet his orthopaedist.  
And after his appointment by the orthopaedist, he took a cab, which drove him to the motorcycle shop.

 

At the moment, Benedict was waiting for Martin in front if the motorcycle shop.   
He pulled his phone out of his jacket, and fumbled at it, while he was waiting. Sometimes he looked up for a short moment.  
A man with dark hair and a beard, entered the shop. And a young woman stopped by him.  
Benedict raised his head, then bowed his head and smiled at her, when she also started to smile.  
"Hello, Benedict.“  
Ben looked at her with a soft smile. She smiled back, looked at him with her long dark brown hair, green eyes, freckles, and a big warm smile.   
Ben looked at her houghtfully.  
"I know you,... um, you have been at the premiere of Whiskey Tango Foxtrot and later in that pub, right?" Ben asked, and the young woman smiled even more. "Um,... wait, I know you name..." He put his mobile phone into his jacket again. "Lisa? Right? No! Yes! It's, Lisa. I'm pretty sure." He smiled.  
Lisa looked at him with wide eyes, her heart was racing like mad.  
"Bloody hell, you still know my name." She said, and this time her voice was really nervous.  
"I can remember it quite well." He grinned. "Last time you weren't that nervous." He smiled.  
"Yes, um. I didn't expect that you still know my name, or that you still knwo that we have met before. I mean, I'm sure that you see and meet a lot of fans throughout a week."  
"Yes, but normally it's just for a photo or an autograph or a smalltalk. We spent a night in a pub together." He smiled.  
"I hope, it's positive that you remember me that well." She smiled now.  
"Just positive memories. How are you? What are you doing here? " He asked smiling.  
"Um, I'm fine. I'm here with my dad, who is in there, he need something for his motorcycle. I'm just here, because he fetched me up - an so I'm able to get a ride back home with the car, instead of the tube, and he wanted to buy us burgers." She grinned.  
"O great, daddy is good enough as a chauffeur and burger supplier." Benedict grinned.  
"Yup, For that he's really good. I mean now I would walk home and promise to never eat a burger again - I met you, that's better than a car ride and a burger."  
"A really big coincidence." Ben grinned.  
"How are you, Benedict? I saw you had an accident." She bowed her head, and pointed to his arm cast.  
"I'm feeling better, I was just one night in the hospital." He smiled.  
"Did you just break your arm?" She asked with a stunning looking face.  
"No; two ribs are broken and two ribes are bruised, then an injurie at the head, at the foot, a broken navel, well an the hand,... and a lot of bruises and grazes. It sounds really worse, but in the relation of the accident, it's nothing." He smiled.  
"Bloody hell. It sounds really bad anyway. I just read it at Twitter, but I stopped reading, because they all speculated about it, as well as the newspapers. I don't like the speculation, it's mostly not the true story, and I think they shouldn't bear down on an accident like this. It's your private life. But it's really great to see that you're feeling better. Do you buy new clothes?"  
"This is one reason why Martin and I aren't in any social networks. Exactly, I came here for new clothes and I'm waiting for Martin, who also wanted to buy clothes."  
"I can totally understand you." She smiled. "Oh that's cool. Jesus, it's my lucky day today. My father is driving me to my apartment, he will buy us burgers and chips and milkshakes, and I meet you and I will see Martin as well." She grinned broadly.

Martin had already parked, and he was walking to Benedict and the young woman.   
He had heard his name, tilted his head as he stopped by them.  
"What's up with me?" He asked smiling.  
Lisa beamed at him, and Benedict smiled down to him; he put the right hand on Martin's back.  
"Hey, darling." He greeted Martin with his deep warm voice and a loving smile.  
"Hey, honey. Sorry, that I'm a bit too late." He smiled up gently.  
He stretched up and breathed Ben a tender little kiss on the lips and got one from Ben as well.  
They smiled at each other, and turned their heads back to Lisa, who was still beaming - her eyes showed a huge 'Awwwww'.   
Martin bowed his head, he looked at her for a moment and then it made click.  
He smiled at her.   
"You're Lisa."  
"Hellacious! So hellacious, that you two really knwo my name, and it's fucking unbelievable that you've recognized me." She said - stunned.  
"Well, you made a good first impression." Martin smiled at her.  
"Yeah, but it's almost six month ago." She smiled.  
"Yes, beginning of March. Did you extend your magic talents yet?" Martin chuckled.  
"No, there was no way to do it. Unfortunately, I have never been at Hogwarts. I didn't get a letter back then. " Lisa grinned.  
"That underestimated apparently your talents." Benedict grinned broadly.  
"Yep, totally. Well what are you expecting, when your parents and relatives are all Muggles. It seems that I'm not someone like Hermione.

Martin laughe heartily, he really liked Lisa; she was really sympathetic, even when they met at the red carpet, and the pub night had been great as well - it had been very cozy and funny with Lisa and her sister.   
Lisa grinned at them both and then bowed her head.  
"It was ashame, that you couldn't come to the Civil War premiere, Martin."  
"Yes, Sorry, we shot for Sherlock. I would have liked to be there." Martin smiled.  
"Are you coming to the Dr. Strange premiere?“  
"Are you there?" Martin smiled.  
"Logically, my favourite actor is playing the lead character." She grinned at him.  
"I'm not playing Dr. Strange." Martin said doubtfully, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly upwards.  
"Okay okay,... one of my favorite actors, namely your boyfriend. So I will be at the premiere." She laughed.  
"Oh, yes, my boyfriend... " Martin grinned, and looked up to Benedict with a grin, who was also grinning, and who rubbed his hand gently across Martin's back - and then he put his arm around Martin's shoulder.  
"I will be there; but it's not sure yet, if Martin will be there as well. Maybe we will see us at the premiere again." Ben smiled.  
"That's cool." Lisa smiled "I will be there with my sister. I also would love to come to he theatre premiere, but my time shedule won't allow it. Oh no... " She sighed up when her father came out of the store again "Today he not messing around." She smiled. "Can we take a picture?"

Benedict grinned to her, then smiled to her father, who stopped next to her. Martin looked at the man and smiled.  
Benedict and Martin said Hello.  
"Good evening." Lisa's father smiled back. "Can we go, Lisa?" He asked her daughter.  
"Your daughter asked for a picture, we could do that." Ben smiled.  
"Ah, okay. Yes, sure." He smiled to Ben. "Come on, Lisa give me your phone. I will take the picture, then you will have for once a picture, where not just the head are visible, like in your selfies." He smiled to his daughter.  
Lisa rolled grinning with her eyes, handed him her mobile phone and then turned to Martin and Benedict.

She stood in front of the couple, Benedict smiled over her left shoulder; Martin smiled over her right shoulder, and her father opened the camera function.  
"The heads are more important, Dad. Of what avail it is when I've a dressed body on my picture." She grinned cheekily, and she could hear that Ben and Martin were laughing.  
"You have all the movies of theses to gentlemen, where they wear nothing or at least not much." Lisas father grinned cheekily.  
"Stop it, Dad! This is embarrassing." She said embarrassed.  
"You started it." He chuckled.  
"Just take the picture, Dad!" She muttered.  
Martin and Benedict were still laughing.  
Her father took three pictures - just in case. He didn't want that Lisa would have shaky pictures. He lowered his hand again.  
"I will go to the car. I will wait for you." He smiled to Lisa. "Bye, it was nice to meet you." He smiled to Martin and Ben, who smiled at him and nodded.  
He handed Lisa the phone again, and walked to the car with his bag.

"Your dad is funny.", Martin grinned.  
"Well, I'm not quite sure. It's the point of view." She grinned. "Okay, um,... thanks. Thanks for the cool photo of the premiere and the talk in the pub and the picture we had taken there... and well thanks for the photo now and the smalltalk, even so it's your private time. It's really kind." She smiled.  
"For the witch and pub girl we have always time." Martin winked, and Lisa smiled broadly.  
"Have fun with the shopping and I wish you a nice evening. And, Benedict, get well soon."  
"Thank you, Lisa. Enjoy the burgers with your dad. And please don't freak out now." Ben smiled, and hugged her tightly.  
Lisa's eyes widened, her heart stopped working for a brief moment, and after her heartattack, she wrapped his arms around Ben's neck, hugged him as well. When they broke apart, she still kooked at him with big eyes.   
Benedict smiled.   
Martin also smiled, and he hugged her as well - tightly.   
Lisa returned his hug tightly. Her heart almost freaked out again.   
Martin stroked across her back, and broke apart.  
"You can breath again." He winked. "It was really great to see you again. I think at some point we will us again." He smiled.  
Lisa nodded, she was speechless. She hadn't expected a hug. 

Martin and Ben smiled at her again.  
They raised their hands, smiled at her.  
And before they entered the shop, Lisa found her voice again.  
"It was also great to see you!" She said.  
Benedict and Martin turned their heads around.   
They smiled, winked, and raised their hands again, before they entered the shop.


	81. Breakfast in bed

Benedict had set an alarm on his mobile phone; he had regulated the tone as quietly as possible, and last night when they had gone to bed, he had put the phone under his pillow. Ultimately, he hadn't needed the alarm signal. He had woken up by himself.  
He was lying on hs side next to Martin, whose back of the head was pressed against his chest - as well as his whole body was pressed against Benedict.   
Benedict's had lay under Martin's t-shirt, on the little tummy.   
He blinked a few times, and looked to the digital clock of the radio - 5:27 am.   
Perfect. He would have three minutes to switch off the alarm in his mobile phone.   
He pulled his hand out of the t-shirt - slowly. And he turned around - slowly.  
Martin sighed next to him when he noticed the missing hand and the missing body.   
Benedict took his mobile phone, turned off the alarm and stood up quietly.   
He walked through the dark bedroom, slipped through the open door, and leaned it against the door frame, before he switched on the light in the upper hallway.   
It was still dark outside.

Benedict walked down the stairs, and then from the hallway into the living room. He took his grey hoodie, which was hanging over the back rest of the sofa, pulled him over his bare torso, and then went into the kitchen.   
In the kitchen, he stretched for the first time, rubbed his ribs, yawned heartily and then started to prepare the breakfast. 

A tray was standing next to him, which was already filled with a glass of orange juice, as well his own cereals - without milk at the moment.   
Yesterday he had tried whether he could carry a tray, and if yes, how many things he could put on it.   
The forearm with the plaster wasn't the problem, the fingers were free, he could lift the tray. The problem he had was that he was already in pain when just the dishes without food and drinks stand on the tray. Yesterday, the glass, the tea cups and the plates hadn't been filled.   
But he had told himself, that he would be able to carry it upstairs into the bedroom. Just today, just once. Today he would clench his teeth - for Martin.   
Before he walked out of the kitchen to slip with bare feet into his sneakers in the hallway, he stripped off the calender sheet.  
A new date was visible.  
08.09.2016  
Martin's birthday.

He had hidden Martin's present in the shed in the garden. He took it, walked back, and put it into the living room, before he slipped out of his sneakers again.   
He put the other little present on the tray in the kitchen.  
He made the tea for Martin and himself. A black tea with milk an sugar for Martin, a fruit tea for himself, with a bit of sugar. Before he took the tray, he piut the pancakes with blueberries onto the plates.

He lifted the tray, sighed because of the pain and gritted his teeth; he walked out of the kitchen with, through the hallway, upstairs and back into the bedroom. The light from the upper corridor was enough to light up his way to the bed.   
He wobbled with the tray to the bed, and put it down onto his bed side.   
He sighed. He was glad that the tray was upstairs - his hand, and wrist and forearme hurt.   
His walked to Martins bedside, switched on the bed side light, walked to the hallway and switched of the big light, before he came back to Martin.

Martin was still sleeping, he had been tired yesterday evening, he had poked in his food, which Benedict had made, even so it had been very tasty. Shortly after their dinner, he had gone to bed, and he had been probably asleep befor he had hit the mattress. Ben had watched telly downstairs, and when he had come to bed a few hours later, Martin hadn't noticed anything.   
Benedict sat down on the edge of the bed; Martins alarm would ring at 6:30 am, then he would take a quick shower and get dressed breakfast; he would enjoy a little breakfast before he would go to London at 7:15 am.   
It was shortly before 6 o'clock in the morning.   
Benedict didn't want to wake him up, but he wanted to give Martin a special breakfast at his birthday.

His fingers ran through Martin's hair; they played with the grey strands, let them run through his fingers.   
Martin cuddled his head to his hands, sighed in his sleep.   
Benedict played and ran with and through his hair lovingly; he caressed to Martin's cheek, caressed him with the back of the hand; his fingers breathed across his neck. And the fingertips ran across the bare arm, with was lying above the blanket; the fingertips breathed to the Martin's fingertips and upwards again, until he reached the sleeve of the t-shirt. 

Martin sighed again, smiled to himself - half-asleep. He felt the gentle touch, an enjoyed it. The fingertips breathed across his whole arm again, made him goose bumps. He purred deeply, and opened one eye slowly. He looked up to the man, who dontated him these lovely caresses.   
He smiled widely when he saw Ben.   
Ben looked down to Martin, with sparkling and warm eyes, with a beaming and loving smile - his hair was tousled his cheeks unshaven.  
Martin opened his other eye and raised his hand; he smiled and stroked across Benedict's bearded cheek.  
"Good morning." Ben smiled, and put his hand on Martin's cheek; his thumb stroked back and forth.   
"Morning, sweetheart. Why are you awake?" Martin smiled with a tired voice."  
"Because of you. I'm sorry that I already wake you up, but I have make you a special breakfast." He said softly.  
Martin looked at him totally confused and irritated, and still really sleepy. In his eyes one could read that he was asking himself why Ben had made him a special breakfast. 

Ben winked and leaned down to Martin. He breathed him a tender kiss on the lips.  
"Happy Birthday, my old man." Ben smiled with beaming eyes, and breathed Martin a second tender kiss on the lips, and rubbed his nose across Martins, before he kissed Martin's forehead and straightened up again.   
Martin's eyes became clearer, he smiled, ran his hand through his hair.  
"Thank you, Benny." He beamed happily. "Jesus, I really forgot it. Even yesterday, I haven't noticed that today's my birthday." He muttered with his tired voice.  
"It's not that bad, you know, the older you get, the more you forget." Ben grinned, and saw immediately Martin's middle finger, and a huge and loving smile, with ended in a amused laugh. Ben pattet Martin's head softly. "I'm not really surprised, darling. I think, the only thing you thought about was the bed, yesterday. You had been very exhasuted, I thought you would maybe fall asleep during dinner, and end up with the face in the food, like a little toddler.", Ben winked.  
"You're right." Martin grinned.  
Benedict grinned at him; he ran his hand through Martin's hair again, who closed his eyes with pure pleasue.

Benedict smiled, rubbed across Martin's upper arm, and patted him.  
"Sit up, honey. I made breakfast in bed for us."  
"Hmm? Breakfast in bed?" Martin asked, and opened his eyes again; he turned on his back, sat up and discovered the tray with all the lovely things on it. "Wow, come to bed again, now I'm really hungry." He beamed to the tray, and then to Ben. His stomach growled.  
Benedict smiled with his partner; he stood up, walked around to the bed.   
Martin put the tray on his lap, and Benedict sat down to him.  
"Thanks, love,...thats looks pretty tasty, Ben." Martin beamed, and bent to him, to press him a loving kiss on the lips.  
"My pleasure, Martin. Enjoy your meal."  
Martin nodded and looked into the two cups, he handed Benedict the fruit tea.  
"How did you bring it upstairs?" Martin asked, when Benedict took the cup.  
"Well, I carried it, and gritted my teeth." Ben smiled, and then sipped at his tea.  
"You know, I also would have loved it, if I would have needed to go downstairs." He smiled.  
"I know, darling. But breakfast in bed is better. I didn't want that you have to use your old bones and your old body that often, Martin." He winked with a grin.  
"I just pretend that I haven't heard the last sentence, but just because you've made me such a delicious breakfast." Martin chuckled.  
"That's good; the breakfast was meant to be a soother, anyway.", Ben smirked.  
Martin shook his head with amusement; he grinned, and took the cutlery for the pancakes.

Martin enjoyed the breakfast, the pancakes, the orange juice, the tea; he comfortably ate with Benedict in bed.   
He put down his empty cup, beamed to Benedict, leaned his head on his shoulder and took the small square packet, which was on the tray.  
"Now, I will unpack your gift, after this really lovely and tasty breakfast." Martin smiled, and sat up again.  
Ben smiled; He watched Martin, who unwrapped the gift.  
Martin looked down to the black box, and read the white letters.

Paul Smith  
Watch

Ben knew Martin loved watches, and especially he loved the watches of Paul Smith, from which he already had two other watches.   
Martin raised his head, his eyes beamed to Benedict, and then back to the box, which he opened.   
In the box was a watch with a dark blue leather bracelet, and a dark blue dial. The rest of the watch was silver, the numbers in a yellowish tone, the two chronographs were red.   
Martin's gaze wandered from the clock back to Ben, his eyes sparkled, a warm smile was on his face.  
"The watch is great. This is a really great birthday present, Benny. Thank you."  
He put the box with the watch back on the tray. And then he took Benedict's face in both hands and kissed him affectionately.   
Benedict's hand slid into Martin's hair immediately. He returned Martin's kiss, who pulled him closer.  
Benedict sighed.   
Martin purred.   
Martin's tongue licked across Ben's lower lip, he sucked with his lips on it, and broke their kiss softly and slowly.  
He smiled at Ben, and got a loving smile back from Benedict.  
"It's great, that you like it. There's another present in the living room for you." Ben breathed a kiss on Martin's nose. "But I think, you should take a shower and get dressed beforehand, before we forget the time."  
Martin bowed his head and nodded then.  
"I'm going to hurry up, my curiosity is too big, now." He grinned, and moved away from Ben.   
He stood up with the tray, put it down again. He took fresh clothes, beamed to Ben again, and then he disappeared into the bathroom.   
Benedict smiled to him, got up, put the box with the watch onto the dresser, and carried the tray downstairs.

 

Martin took a shower, shaved, brushed his teeth and dressed, before he left the bathroom and looked briefly into the bedroom.   
Ben wasn't here, and also the tray was gone. He found the box, took the watch, strapped it on and then walked down the stairs.   
He stopped when he was halfway down the stairs.   
One could here music, which came out of the living room.   
Soul music.   
Philly dog by the Mar-keys.   
He frowned. He had no soul CDs. Generally, he had almost no CDs, - just records, a lot of records.   
Some of Benedict's CDs were already here, but Benedict hasn't any soul CDs.   
Actually, it wasn't possible that the msuic was coming out of his record player. A week ago his record player literally died - even a technical repair hadn't worked. And until now he hadn't had time to buy a new one. Actually, he had wanted to go with Benedict into the city at the weekend, to look for a new one.   
He got big eyes, his heart began to race, as the realization hit him.   
Benedict's gift that still waited in the living room, was a record player.   
He hurried down the last steps of the stairs.  
He came into the living room, and beamed already with sparkling eyes. 

The empty space on the drawer, on which had stood the last record player, was no longer empty. A brand new record player had found its place. It was one in the old style.   
Martin gaze wandered to Benedict, who smiled at him gently.   
Martin came with quick steps to him, put his hands on his cheeks and looked him deeply in the eyes.   
"You're a wonderful man, and I love you, Benedict!" He beamed with a warm voice and warm eyes.  
With a huge smile, Ben put his arms around Martin's hips.  
"I love you too, Martin." He kissed his forehead.  
Martin just beamed up to Ben, and listened to music. 

"May I invite you for dinner today?" Ben asked gently.  
"Is this an invitation to a date?" Martin up smiled.  
"Yes, a date." Ben smiled.  
"Can we have our date here? I would love to spend the evening just with you."  
"We can, Martin. How about 7 o'clock?" Ben winked.   
Martin had always been back around 7 o'clock.  
"7 o'clock sounds fantastic." Martin beamed. 

His thumb caressed across Benedict's cheek. He really looked forward to the evening with Ben, to the date with Ben. And he already felt the tingle in his belly, the tingle he had had on the night of their date at the Christmas market.   
They hadn't really said that this would be a date, but justthe way Ben had asked him out for a nice evening on the Christmas market, had sounded like it would be a date.   
And in Martin's head it had been a date.  
And, when they had met at the Christmas market, and looked at each other after their loving hug - it had been a silent agreement, that this would be their first date.


	82. A date

It slowly began to dawn.   
Benedict stood in the kitchen, when the light in font of the out went on.   
He put the knife just washed off in the drainer and came to the door.   
Martin fumbled his front door key out of his pocket -but before he could find him, the door opened. He lifted his head, with the hand in his trouser pocket; he bowed head, and eyed the man in front of him.   
Benedict stood in the doorway; his hair was styled, his eyes sparkled, a smile flickered across his face, and he was shaved; he wore a grey knit sweater, and under the sweater, he wore a light blue shir, which collar one could see.  
Martin eyed Benedict's whole body - down to dark jeans and shoes. His eyes wandered upwards again.   
In the past few weeks, when Martin came home from the theatre, Benedict had always sitten around with just a sweatpants, a t-shirt or a sweater.   
Martin's eyes rested on those of Ben, a big smile spread across his face, his stomach tingled.   
He had been looking forward all day long to the date with Benedict this evening.

"Hey." Ben smiled lovingly.  
"Hey." Martin beamed, and took the hand out of his pocket. He made a step towards Benedict, fumbled on his sweater on the stomach. "You look dashing." Martin breathed softly.  
"Thank you, Martin." Ben smiled with loving eyes. His hand stroked Martin's shoulder, his arm, down to his fingers, and entwined them to pull him closer. "You too."  
"Hmh, like this morning." Martin smiled, and put his free hand on Benedict's hip.   
"Yes, and this morning, you already looked very good." Ben's thumb caressed across Martin's hand.  
"Thank you."  
Ben smiled; he pulled him slowly into the house, broke apart, closed the door and took Martins bag, which he put down to the wardrobe.  
"I'm glad you're at home." He said softly.  
He took Martin's hand again and laid the casted arm on his hip. He leaned slightly to him down and Martin stood up a bit on his tiptoes.  
They closed their eyes and kissed each other gently.  
Martin squeezed Benedict's hand; he sighed into the kiss, when he felt Ben's tongue licking across his lower lip. He parted his lips, an joined Ben's french kiss happily, with a racing heart and butterflies in his stomach.   
Benedict loosened their hands, and ran his hand upwards to Martin's shoulder, to his neck, and laid the hand gently on Martin's cheek. He enjoyed the butterflies and his madly racing heart - he just enjoyed the feeling of being in love with this lovely man, and to be loved by this lovely man.   
Martin's hands ran upwards to Benedict's shoulder blades.  
They kissed each other tenderly, let their tongues dance, before they broke apart slowly. 

Martin opened his eyes, looked in Benedict's eyes, and got lost in them - immediatly. He could feel that Benedict's thumb caressed over his cheek.  
"It smells really good in here,... what have you done?" Martin smiled up to his partner.  
"I have cooked for the two of us."  
"Hmm, I can smell it. What did you cook? " Martin asked curiously.  
"Let me surprise you, honey. You can already go into the living room and sit down. I'm right with you." Ben smiled, and breathed Martin a kiss on the lips, before he broke apart.  
Martin smiled, bowed his head, and nodded then.  
'Okay.“  
Benedict winked at him, and Martin looked after him when he disappeared into the kitchen. 

He went into the living room.   
In the last few weeks the had mostly cooked together, when Martin had come home; sometimes Benedict had cooked something, and sometimes they had ordered takeaway.   
When he walked into the living room, he stopped immediately in the middle of the room.   
His mouth hung open, and he looked around - stunned - breathed in the atmosphere.   
The light was dimmed, music was playing. The table was covered with napkins, cutlery, two glasses of water, two glasses with red wine, which were already filled, the bottle of wine was also standing on the table. He walked closer. His favorite wine.   
His gaze roamed further over the table; two salad bowls, with onions, tomatoes, olives, feta cheese - bread was standing in the middle of the table. Two candles flickered.   
Martin was speechless. 

He still stood at the table, when Benedict came back from the kitchen.   
Martin turned his head to Ben, he swallowed.  
"Wow... Ben. I, I don't know what to say." He scratched the back of his head.  
"Then, just take a seat, Martin." Benedict smiled, and came to the table.  
Martin nodded, circled the table and took a seat. Benedict sat opposite of him.  
"I hope, it's not too much." Benedict smiled gently.  
"No,... no. It's really romantic. I love it. It's perfect, Ben." Martin smiled, and let his gaze glide over the table again; his eyes looked back to Benedict. "This is a really lovely surprise."  
"I am pleased that you like it."  
"Very much, Benedict, very much."  
Ben smiled, he took his glass of fine - lifted it.  
"To you, Martin."  
Martin smiled, raised his glass and clinked glasses with Benedict. They sipped at the wine.  
"The salad looks really good." Martin smiled to him.  
"You can also eat it, honey." Ben winked.  
"Then... Bon Appétit, darling. " He beamed, and took the fork.  
"Enjoy it, Martin."

Benedict took his fork, an Martin took on of the baguette slices.   
They ate the salad together, talked about Martin's day - tomorrow would be the final rehearsal for the piece. And Ian McKellen, who would play one of the two leading roles as well as Martin, was delighted to see Benedict at the premiere on Monday.   
Benedict told him about his day, and that he had beaten Martins high score at solitaire, which made Martin grin.   
Martin put his fork on the empty plate; he comfortably leaned back and took his wine glass.  
"Very good, Ben. That was really tasty." He smiled across the table.  
"Thank goodness. I messed up the first dressing." Ben smiled.  
"What happened?" Martin smiled gently.  
"The bowl stood under the wall cabinet with the spices. I wanted to take out a spice, opened the closet and a pack with pepper fell out of it, the pack was open,... and then there pretty much pepper in the dressing. I tried to skim a bit with the spoon, but eventually I poured it away." Ben grinned.  
Martin grinned at him widely.   
"I thought, that it is maybe not that bad and that you maybe wouldn't notice it, but I've tried a spoon. It was awful. How can I describe it. Um, well, do you know these machines in zoo's, where you can get food for goats? The dressing tasted, like this food smells." He chuckled.  
Martin laughed heartily.   
"It would have probably noticed that, sweetheart." Martin said, and still grinned widely.  
"Absolutely." Ben grinned, and once sipped his wine.  
He put the glass down, looked over to Martin, who had the glass on his lips.  
"I'm right back." Ben smiles to him, stood up and took Martin's empty plate and his own and disappeared into the kitchen.  
Martin looked after him, smiled and waited for Ben.

It was completely dark outside; the dimmed lights and candles in the living room conjured a pleasant light; and the music, their conversations and the food conjured a great atmosphere.   
Martin enjoyed the evening to the fullest. This was a lovely birthday. All he needed was: to be able to sit down comfortably at home with his partner, tasty food, good music, and nice conversations.  
After a few minutes, Benedict came back into the living room; he ahd two plates in his hands. He put one plate down in front of Martin, the other one he took with him and sat down.

Martin looked at the plate, it didn't just look good, it smelled absoulely awesome.  
Couscous with various vegetables - cherry tomatoes, leek, pepperoni, red and yellow peppers, - and salmon fillet.   
He licked his lips, and raised his head.  
"Now I know what smelled so good." Martin smiled.  
Ben smiled at him gently, then points to his wine glass.  
"Do you want more wine?" He asked smilingly.  
"Um, yes,... yes, I would like to." Martin smiled softly, and watched Ben, who poured wine into his glass again. "I think, I would love it, if we do that more often. I think, I would love to have more often dates with you." Martin beamed happily. "It is really nice, Ben. All of that. The food, the music, the candles,... you. This is a really nice date. It's a shame, that we have been too cowardly for that, last year."  
Benedict smiled gently, and he didn't fill his own glass again. One glass of wine should be enough, he still took pills and he didn't want to overdo. He put the bottle down, and looked to Martin.  
"We had one date, even so we hadn't said that it is actually a date. But, I think after our hug, we both agreed silently, that it is date." Ben smiled fondly.  
"Hm, we did, we silently agreed, that it is a date. And we snogged on our first date." Martin smiled affectionately.  
"Let us agree, that the night in front of the fireplace was the second date, otherwise it seems so desperately." Benedict grinned softly, and winked. "Enjoy your meal, Martin" Ben smiled now.  
Martin nodded with a grin, and then he took his cutlery with a smile.  
"You, too."

The salmon with the couscous tasted even better than the salad, Martin raved about while eating it, and enjoyed the wine at the same time.   
The portion size was just right, even so he could've eaten much more, because it was just so delicious.   
Benedict was pleased that Martin enjoyed it that much, and that he had given him a treat with this date-night. He really enjoyed Martin's happy smile, his warm eyes, the atmosphere.   
Their hands lay on the table; Benedict played with Martin's fingers, whose eyes said, that he enjoyed this gesture pretty much.   
The last half an hour, the plates had stood in front of them - empty. They had just talked and laughed with each other, and Ben had played wih Martin's fingers.  
Martin had smiled the whole time, dreamily.  
"I need to go to kitchen again, honey." Ben said with a deep voice.  
"Hhm? Again?... Okay. " Martin nodded.  
Ben patted Martin's hand, and stood up with a smile.  
He walked into the kitchen. 

He had baked a cake base of brownies and excelled several smaller round plates of it. He took them out of the refrigerator, ice cream out of the freezer and chocolate sauce from a cabinet. On each of the two different plates, he laid one of the round brownie bases, put a ball of stracciatella ice cream on it, and put onter brownie base onto it. He distributed a few splashes of chocolate sauce on it, and put a candle in each of the cupcakes and it lit them up.  
With the two plates, he came back into the living room.   
Martin looked up to him, and saw the cakes with the flickering candles.  
"Jeses, I think, I'm just able to roll to the couch later." He smiled, and watched Ben, who put the plates down in the middle of the table. The candles faced Martin.  
"Do you want me to carry you?" Ben grinned, and sat down.  
"Um, I don't know, it's a bit too much, too corny, isn't it?" Martin grinned and smiled, and watched candles.  
"Yes, it would be probably too corny." Ben grinned softly across the table.  
"The numbers wouldn't have been neccessary, my dear!" Martin grinned at the candles, which were in the form of numbers, in the first tart stuck a four in the second one a five.  
"I wanted to remember you fondly. Actually, I wanted to buy normal birthday candles for the cake, but then I discovered these candles, an I couldn't hold back myself." He grinned broadly.  
"Very thoughtful of you." Martin chuckled. "What is this?" Martin asked, and pointing with the spoon to the white cream.  
"Ice cream,... stracciatella." Ben smiled.  
"You coddle me tonight so much, Benny." He smiled gently.  
"For your birthday, and our date. And I really like to do it." Ben smiled gently.  
Martin smiled lovingly. He took a deep breath and blew out the two candles. He shoved a plate to Ben, and smiled at him.  
"Thank you, love."  
"My pleasure." Ben smiled, and took his spoon.  
As well as Martin, he removed the candle from the tart and put it aside. 

 

Completely fed up and tired, Martin was lying on the couch. His head was lying on Benedict's thigh, his legs were stretched out comfortably, his eyes were closed. If more food would fit into his little tummy, he would have eaten much more; more of the salad, the fish, and the dessert.  
He had intertwined his fingers with Benedicts, and they played with each other.   
The candles stood onto the coffee table, music was still playing in the background.   
Benedict opened the eyes; Martin's eyes were closed, he smiled, and seemed o be totally relaxed and happy and cozy - and he purred and sighed once a while, because of Beendict's finger playing.  
Benedict smiled down to him, watched him.   
"Benny?" Martin muttered with closed eyes and a warm voice.  
"Hmh?"  
"Could we do this again in the future? Having a date? It was and still is very great, and the atmosphere is different in a way. It is not just going out spontaneously for a dinner or a movie or whatever, you know what I mean? It's just different. I would love to have dates with you, Ben. Once in a while. Your question this morning, has caused me a fast beating heart and a tingling stomach, and every time I thought about our date tonight I was able to feel it again, and during the dinner and now as well."  
He opened his eyes, looked to his partner, squeezed his hand, led Ben's hand to his mouth and kissed it.  
Benedict smiled down. He let his hand after Martin's kiss ran through Martin's hair, softly and gently.  
"I know what you mean. The atmosphere was and still is, very different, and it's absolutely lovely. I really enjoy it, the butterflies, and the racing heart, and the feeling to be yours. I would love to have dates with you as well, once in a while, honey." He smiled, and began to play with Martin's hair.

Martin turned to the side, pressed a kiss on Ben's thigh, and snuggled his face afterwards into Benedict's grey knit sweater. He kissed the flat stomach, breathed him in and sighed.  
And he dozzed of, by Benedict's lovely play in his hair, by his warm body, and by the soft music.


	83. Aftershow

After the aftershow party of the theatre premiere, Martin and Benedict drove back to Potters Bar with Martin's driver Matthew. They waved good night and got out of the car and walked together to the front door.  
Martin pulled the keys out of his pocket, opened, and let Benedict in, before he slipped through the doo. He put the key onto the dresser, put his bag down and slipped out of his shoes.  
Benedict slipped out of his jacket, and out of his shoes.  
They walked into the kitchen, where Martin took his suit jacket off, and laid it over one of the bar stools.  
"Do you want to drink something?" Martin asked with a smile  
"Yes." Ben nodded, and pulled the sweater over his head.  
"Water?"  
"Yes, water is enough." Ben smiled, and put the sweater to Martin's jacket.  
Martin smiled to him, opened the fridge, took the water and out of the closet two glasses.   
Benedict ran his hand through his hair, and opened the first two buttons of his polo-shirt. He leaned with his butt against the kitchen counter. 

Martin handed Benedict one of the glasses; he took his own and turned around to Benedict. In one hand he held his glass of water, the other one, went unde Ben's polo-shirt, and caressed the flat stomach.  
"Is everything okay with you?" Martin asked gently. "How was the evening for you? I mean it was a lot of standing around, and you needed to sit very long in the theatre." He sipped at his water, and looked up to Ben.  
Five weeks had passed since the accident; the foot was still thick on the ankle, and a bit blue; the arm was still covered with a plaster, which would stay the next three weeks - and after that he would get physiotherapy for his hand and probably a splint; the ribs healed very well, the physiotherapy had done him good. Benedict was able to sleep much better and much longer without waking up from the unbearable pain - and in the next week, the doctor wanted to start a new medication - he wanted to reduce it slowly. The large bruise was still visible, but the color had changed a bit, and the other bruises and grazes where almost gone or healed.   
"Everything is alright, honey. The walking and standing around was better than the long sitting. I was really happy to stand up when the play was over. The foot is okay, it's just thick, but it doesn't hurt when I'm standing or walking, or when I just move the foot. And your statement from two weeks ago seemed to have helped very good. The interviews were just about you and your performance, and the play." Ben smiled, and sipped at his water.  
"Yes, it seems that they have understand it now. They haven't bothered me after the rehearsals any longer, and tonight, thex just asked, whether I like it that you are there." Martins fingers still crawled Ben's stomach.  
"And? What was your answer? " Ben smiled.  
"I answered, that I really love it, that you're with me, and that it is great that you are able to watch the play and be at the party. I mean, you know, premieres and ceremonies, just the red carpet is always exhausting. And well, I don't really like it to be in the focus of attention, probably I picked out the wrong profession." Martin smiled with a soft grin. "I'm always glad when the red carpet ends, especially when I'm alone. But with you, I feel more comfortable and I'm more relaxed and cozy - and you're my partner, and you're one of my closest friends, so of course, I was really happy, that you've seen the play, darling." He smiled up, stretched up and kissed Ben's cheek. "And I'm glad that it was okay for you today. Did you take your pills?"

Benedict bowed his head, nodded occasionally, smiled.  
"Even if I wouldn't have felt that could, I would have come with you. I really don't want to miss a premiere, when I have the opportunity to be with you." Ben smiled softly. "And yes, sweetheart, I took the pills before the play started, and you've reminded me to take them, in your message, right before the play has started." He grinned, and put down his glass.   
Martin grinned, too And he pinched gently Ben's stomach, after he had put down his glass as well.  
"I wanted to make sure that you really take them, sometimes you're a bit,... scatty and chaotic."  
"For this, I have you." Benedict winked, and pressed him a kiss on the head.  
"Hmm, to look after you." Martin smiled, and closed his eyes during Benedict's kiss.  
Benedict's lips kissed his head again, and he mumbled something into his hair.  
"Bedtime?"  
"Hmh, that sounds good, love." Martin smiled, and broke apart after the second kiss.

The two men went out of the kitchen, switched off the lights, walked upstairs into the bedroom, and made themselves ready for bed. They brushed their teeth, went to the loo and doffed of the socks, the polo-shirt, the shirt and the trousers.   
In the bedroom, Martin sat down and took the radio alarm clock, and set up another time.   
Tomorrow night the play would start properly.   
Every day, except Sunday, at 7.30 pm, for the next three month - and on Wednesday and Saturday also at 2.30 pm.   
And on some days in between no performances would take place due to organisational reasons or due to other events or festivals. 

Benedict had crawled into the bed; he sat down behind Martin - on his knees. He bent his head slightly down and kissed Martin's neck.   
Martin sighed and closed his eyes; he tilted his head to the side, to offer Benedict more space for his skilled and soft lips - the alarm clock was still in his hand.   
Benedict kissed along his neck, down to the the beginning of the t-shirt; he nibbled his way slowly upwards, kissed him behind the earlobe; his right hand lay on Martin's thigh.   
A purr, a deep sigh and a low moan escaped Martin's throat. Benedict's tongue licked across Martin's neck; the lips sucked at it, and Martin's throat escaped even more delightful sounds.   
Martin opened his eyes briefly, and put the the alarm clock on the bedside table.  
"Do I have your attention?" Ben moaned into Martin's ear; his lips and breath, breathed across the ear.  
"Hmmmm" Martin purred. 

Benedict's hand disappeared under Martin's shirt; he caressed the little tummy, while his lips caressed Martin's neck - they kissed him and sucked softly. His hand stroked Martins T-shirt upwards; he broke apart, and Martin helped him to pull the T-shirt over his head - it sailed to the ground.   
Martin had goose bumps, and he shivered when he felt Benedict's fingertips caress along his hairline on the neck. The fingertips crawled him softly, wandered down to his shoulder, along his arm, on his tummy, and to the beginning of his shorts. Martin shivered again, and his eyes followed the fingers, which disappeared into the shorts. He closed his eyes slowly, and a rough groan escaped his throat, when the hand cupped his erection.  
The hand stroked gently up and down, disappeared again, and Martin groaned with disappointment.   
Ben kissed his ear,his temple, his ear again.  
"Come to bed. Without the shorts." Ben murmured softly.  
Martin opened his eyes slowly, blinked and stood up slowly. He slipped out of his shorts, turned to Benedict, who was naked as well. He knelt down onto the mattress, laid down, and smiled up to Ben, who was still kneeling in bed.  
"Come to me" Martin muttered softly, and stretched out an arm. 

Ben smiled; he laid down beside him, and couldn't resist any longer - he captured Martin's lips hungrily, and Martin returned the kiss with the ssme hunger and passion. Martin's hands ran into Benedict's hair, and his lap pressed against Ben's, he rubbed his erection against him, and the two men needed to broke apart, to moan in pleasure and relish.   
Benedict's hand pressed Martin on the shoulder into the mattress. Martin rolled onto his back, spread his legs, so that Ben was able to take place in between. Benedict knelt down between Martin's legs, whose hands ran through his hair.   
Benedict kissed Martin's belly, around the navel.   
And Martin's eyes followed him with his eyes; he moaned lustfully, when he watched Ben, who licked across the tip of his erection, who licked the precum away, and took him into his mouth. Martin tugged at Ben's hair, he was so aroused, that he could hardly stop his hips. His head sank down onto the pillow and he closed his eyes in relish. His body tingled; he enjoyed Benedict's blowjob; it was justpure pleasure, and he loved it so much. The lips slid gently up and down, the tongue licked from the tip to his balls - where the lips sucked. A hand wandered to Benedict's shoulder.  
"Please, Ben. I need more today, please." He begged hoarsely and very aroused.   
In the last weeks they hadn't had proper sex, and now he was totally horny for Ben.

Benedict's lips disappeared; Martin's eyes opened slowly, and met Ben's sensual gaze.  
Martin stretched his hand to the bedside drawer, opened it, fished out the lube and handed it to Benedict.  
Ben smiled to him, took it and opened the bottle.   
Martin angled and spread his legs even wider, and eyed Ben.  
Ben knelt between Martin's legs, he dropped the bottle again, and let one of his fingers circle around Martin's puckering hole, who already had closed his eyes in anticipation. A smile flickered across his face; and when Ben's finger slid into him, he raised his hips and moaned in pure relish.   
He wasn't able to hold still, he circled his hips, he joined Ben's rhythm; the feeling was just to good, and Ben too skilled with his long and soft fingers, that he needed to join him. And the feeling got even better, when Ben's second finger slid into him. He moaned lustfully, clawed at the sheet and tugged at Ben's hair.  
Benedict's fingers rubbed across his prostate.   
"Ohhhh fuck, Benny" He moaned loudly, and his hips moved with Ben's fingers - he searched for more friction.   
His thighs were already shaking, and the head was pressed into the pillow, rolled to the left and to the right.  
"Ben... Ben. Fuck. Please, please... lay... lay on your back." Martin whispered hoarsely.  
He clawed his hand more into the sheet, and when Ben's fingers disappeared he sighed softly.   
Ben kissed his tummy, and laid down on his back.

Martin took a few deep breathed, ran his hand through his hair. He sat up and scrabbled over Benedict; he supported his hands next to his head, leaned down to Ben and kissed him passionately; their tongues fought with each other, while Martin's right hand was looking for the lube. When he found it, he opened it.   
They broke the kiss; Martin bit gently into Ben's lower lip.   
He was too impatient at the moment, he didn't want to waste any second. He sat down on Benedict's thighs and took some lube. He laid one hand on Ben's chest, whose pupils were dilated and the chest rose and fell rapidly. Martin other hand cupped Ben's erection, and he stroked downwards and upwards with an intense pace.  
Ben moaned enjoyable, and closed his eyes - the anticipation was huge.  
Martin hands stroked across his body, to his chest; he lifted his butt, and sank down onto Ben's throbbing erection. He closed his eyes with a deep moan, and sank deeper and deeper, listened to Ben's enjoyable moans.   
"I can't guarantee anything, love." Martin whispered hoarsely. He grabbed Benedict's hand.  
"I hope so,... god please, don't hold back anything." Ben moaned with a deep and dark voice.

Their hands clawed into each other, when Martin began to move his hips intensively.   
Benedict's mouth hung open, his eyes were closed with pleasure, and his other arm was bent over his head.   
Martin found quickly a rhythm, which made both of them moan loudly.  
Intensive. Deep. Fast.   
He titled his head back, moaned uncontrollably, grabbed Ben's hand tightly, and Ben was doing the same - and he moaned and purred and sighed and whisperd Martins name over and over again. He eagerly joined Martin's rhythm, and pressed his head into the pillow.  
"Ooohh fuck, Ben. I have missed this so much." Martin moaned.  
Ben's erection rubbed across the sensitive excitatory point.  
Benedict's chest rose and fell frantically, he gasped.  
"Martinmartinmartin." He groaned and gasped, and pressed Martin's hand.  
He enjoyed Martin's rhythm - his deep, intense and rapid movements, his groaning voice. His eyes rolled back behind closed eyelids, which fluttered open slowly. He looked at Martin, his mouth hung still open.

Martin was sitting on his lap; he held his pace; his mouth hung open, his eyes were closed, the head tilted back with lust and pleasure and relish; his free hand took his erection in hand, and with each intense, deep and fast movement, he thrusted in his own fist - the thumb rubbed across the tip, and precum drooled onto Ben's stomach.  
Benedict bit his lip at Martins sight. That was more than just hot, that was pure sex. And this sight, and Martins noises, let him reach his orgasm very quickly.  
His eyes fluttered shut, he couldn't hold it back, he cum hard into Martin, clawed at his hand, and arched his back.  
"Maaaartin!"  
"Ohhh, Jesus. Ben. Benny. Fuck!" Martin moaned, when he felt Benedict's orgasm.  
He didn't stop his movements, and he still thrusted into his fist, and when the last wave of orgasm ran through Ben's body reached his climax - semen drooled down on his hand and to Ben's chest and stomach.  
"Bennnnyyy!" Martin moaned out of breath; he grabbed Ben's hand tightly again.  
He loosened his fist; his movements became slower, and he enjoyed the last waves of his orgasm - he purred and sighed. His heart was racing, he was sweating, panted breathlessly.   
His eyes opened slowly and he met Benedict's gentle smile.

Benedict's eyes lay warm on his own; he pressed his hand gently, the thumb stroked tenderly across Martin's hand.   
He took a few deep breathed, eyed Martin, who raised his hips and sat down on Benedict's thighs again.  
"It's hot to see and hear you during sex." Ben whispered.  
Martin smiled gently, and winked charmingly.  
"Are you alright, honey?" Martin asked gently, and squeezed Benedict's hand lovingly.  
"I'm great." He smiled broadly, and winked too.  
Martin smiled down to him.  
"Oh really? Why?" Martin asked clueless.  
Ben grinned up; he loosened his hand, and stroked across Martin's thigh.  
"Let's go and take a shower together, Martin."  
Martin smiled and nodded.  
"Hmh." Martin smiled, and stood up slowly.   
Benedict sat up and stood up with Martin. 

Martin wrapped his arms around Ben's flat stomach, and together they toddled grinning to the bathroom.


	84. London Zoo

Matilda beamed out of the window of Martin's car, she sat on the back seat, wobbled back and forth with her feet.   
Simonhad had brought Matilda to Martin and Benedict this morning: he and Maureen wanted to spend the day together, and they wanted to got out in the evening - and so they had gladly accepted the offer by Martin and Benedict, that Matilda could have a sleep over.   
Matilda was really happy; a whole day and a sleep over was much better, than just a day trip. She had needed to wait a long time for a day with Martin and Benedict, and now she was even allowed to stay over night - perfect.   
They were on the way to the London Zoo, or to be precise Martin just parked.

Almost three weeks had passed since the first performance of Martin's new play.   
The play went very well; Martin had a lot of fun, and he wasvery happy to be at the theatre again. He really loved playing theatre, and he had loved it in his youth, he had done it so often in his youth, but then out of a sudden he had done more and more projects for the telvision and the cinema.  
Benedict had been at a few appointments again; he had been at interviews, photo shoots, at a press conferences, and in the dubbing studio. He was glad that he was able to go to most of the appointments.   
Today was Saturday - October the first; yesterday, Ben had been at the orthopaedist again. The plaster was off, finally - and now he had a splint for his hand an wrist, which he should wear as often and long as possible fo the next four weeks. Ben was happy that the plaster was gone, the feeling in the splint was much better than in that thick plaster.   
When they stopped, Ben unbuckled himself and got out. Also Matilda already unbuckled herself, opened the door and jumped out out of the car - happily. Martin was the last who got out, he locked the car and came to Ben and Matilda. He really looked forward to the day with them, This weekend was the first weekend with now perfomances - he had the weekend off, and he was glad and hay to spend it with Benedict and little Matilda.

It was not very warm today, but a sweater and a thinner jacket was enough to withstand the cold. The trees slowly got more colorful, some were already completely covered in different orange shades. 

The three walked to the entrance, quequed up, bought a ticket for Matilda and two for themself.   
Matilda walked between Martin and Ben, she was holding Martin's hand and looked to Ben's hand who was covered with the splint.  
"Stop. We need to change sides." She beamed up.  
Benedict and Martin stopped.  
Ben smiled down to her, went to Martin's other side, and Matilda let go Martin's hand and followed Ben, who thought he should take Martin's hand. He wanted to grab Martin's hand, when Matilda grabbed his hand and grinned up.  
"Nah, take my hand, Ben." She turned her head to Martin. "And you have to take the zoo card in the other hand." She smiled, and Martin followed her order witha smile - he had understood what she wanted, and took her hand.  
Matilda smiled back to Ben.  
"I didn't want to touch your injured hand." She smiled, and ran with them, while Martin read the zoo card to which he had taken at the entrance.  
"Are you walking with mum and dad like that?" Ben asked with a smile.  
"Nope. Daddy is carrying me on his shoulders -mostly. Mummy don't like it, she says I could walk alone - but I just need to smilereally cute and sweet and then daddy is carrying me on his shoulders. Mummy is sometimes upset with him, when he's always carrying me, but daddy said, that he likes to do it, and that he wants to have me in his near, because sometimes, he has not much time for me." She beamed.  
"At some point it's no longer working, then you're too bog and heavy for dad." Ben grinned.  
"He has said taht, too; he said, that I must drag him with a handcart, but he can get that out of his head." She grinned broadly, and Benedict laughed.  
"Yes, he should search himself another chauffeur." He grinned down.  
Matilda nodded, grinned widely.

She stopped with the two at the first animal enclosure - which birds of prey.  
Martin looked up now; he looked up at the birds.  
"At 12 o'clock Benedict's family get lunch." He tried to say it as serious as possible, but the corner of his mouth twitched suspiciously, eyes glittered mischievously.  
Benedict turned his head to him, he war irritated.  
Matilda looked up to him, andwhen Martin turned his head around, she saw the twitching mouth and the cheeky sparkle in Martin's eyes.  
She grinned broadly.  
"The otters! We have to go to the otters at 12 o'clock! What time is it now? " She asked with a grin, and Benedict looked at Martin and shook his head in amusement.  
Matilda had seen the otter and hedgehog pictures, Simon had shown her these pictures after they had been in the zoo this summer. They had had a funny time on the sofa, while watching all these pictures  
Martin grinned broadly.  
"Yes, the otters get lunch at 12 o'clock." He grinned even more. He rasied his hand and looked at his watch. "It's shortly after 11 o'clock."  
"Then we go to the penguins and then already to the otters, otherwise we will miss it." She beamed.  
"Maybe you're not invited to the family dinner!" Ben smirked.  
"Of course! All people are invited." Matilda grinned to him.  
"On top of this we are your company." Martin chuckled, and smiled at him gently.  
"I will never go to the zoo with you again.“  
Matilda smirked up to Ben, she loosened her hands and hugged Ben tightly.  
"We still love you."  
Ben smiled down and stroked her head; Martin smiled at him softly, folded the card and put it in his jacket pocket. His eyes sparkled again gently to Benedict, he winked softly, stepped closer, stretched up, and kissed his cheek gently.

As they walked to the penguins, Matilda took ben's and Martin's hand again.   
Although the zoo had just opened an hour ago, it already was pretty much going on. At the penguin enclosure were standing a few parents with their children, young people, young couples, old couples.  
Matilda let go Martin's and Benedict's hand; she walked to the enclosure until she stood in front of the glass window.   
Benedict and Martin followed her; Ben's arm was lying around Martin's shoulder, who had laid his hand on Ben's back.   
Matilda beamed up when they arrived.   
Some penguins were standing around, some of them toddled around, other just looked around, and a few were swimming in the water- one penguin jumped repeatedly into the water.  
"You gave Agent Classified from Penguins of Madagascar your voice. And Daddy told me, you will speak the Grinch." She grinned up to Benedict.  
"The Grinch suits him very much, he's abale to grin as aevil as the Grinch." Martin grinned, and rubbed softly across Ben's back.  
"The penguin movie was great, and the Grinch will be great as well." She smiled, and grinned to Martin. "Yeeees, you're right,... maybe he just dressed up like Benedict, but is actuially the Grinch."

Benedict laughed and looked down to her.  
"Damn it,... now you revealed my deepest secret. Now Martin knows why we haven't spent Christmas together last year. I have been in Whoville and have stolen all the Christmas trees and gifts."  
Matilda began to laugh, as well as Martin.   
"That means, that we will never celebrate Christmas together?" Martin smirked.  
"Well, I'm sorry. But I need to spoil the Whoville Christmas feast, that's always hard work. If you two want, you can come with me to Mount Grumpet." Ben grinned.  
"No, thanks; it's too dirty and full of disgusting things. That's not a nice place to be. Martin will celebrate with us." Matilda grinned.  
"You heard it, Mr. Grinch." Martin grinned up to him.  
"And we don't leave you out! You need to spend Christmas with Martin " Matilda beamed.  
"Why I have to do that?" Ben smiled.  
Matilda rolled her eyes sweetily and smiled.  
"It's so obvious, Ben. You need to spend Christmas with martin, because he loves you really much and he likes Christmas very much and he will be very sad when he wouldn't be able to spend Christmas with you. Daddy says, that one celebrates Christmas, with a person one really loves and who loves you." She beamed.  
Martin smiled softly to her and then to Benedict. Matilda smiled at both bright-eyed, and looked back to the penguins.  
Martin's gaze wandered to Ben, who had turned his head to him. Martin put his second arm around Benedict's belly, cuddled up to his side. He knew they would spend Christmas together this year and he was absolutely looking forward to it. 

After a while they strolled to the otters. Many people stood in front of the otter enclosure.  
"I can't see anything." Matilda said. She looked up to Martin, had tried to stand on tiptoes and to catch a glimpse.  
"Come to me" Martin smiled and stretched out his arms.  
A short time later Matilda sat on Martin's shoulders; Martin held her legs and Matilda was playing with Martin's hair. Her gaze to the otters was perfect.  
Benedict was standing next to them; he put an arm around Martin's back, gave him a short kiss on the temple, and he could feel a small hand into his hair - Matilda was tousling through his hair now.  
"I'm bigger than you." She showed him her tongue.  
"Just wait until Martin let you down agai, then you're even samller than he is." Ben grinned back.  
"Prick! Now I'm on Matildas side, because you insulted me." Martin grinned. "So, let my little sweetheart alone."  
Matilda grinned at Ben, wobbled with her eyebrows.  
"My bodyguard is with me, Ben." Matilda grinned, and stroked softly through Ben's hair.  
"I will wait for a good opportunity." Ben winked.

A zookeeper appeared in the enclosure; Matilda beamed to Ben and then to the otters.   
Benedict pushed his hand slightly under Martin's jacket, put the hand on his sweater. His partner turned his head briefly to him, smiled at him.   
The ottersate the fish, a few were still in the water, but the most otters stood by the zoo keeper and his bucket full of fish. One of the Otter was sanding on one of the stones, he looked at the people.   
Martin grinned and pointed to him.  
"Look,... he's totally confused. I think, he wonders, why you are standing here, Benny, while he's locked in the enclosure." Martin grinned, and Matilda began to laugh loudly.   
Martin grinned, and winced, when he felt Benedicts pinch.   
"A pity that there are no hedgehogs in the zoo." Ben grumbled with a grin.  
"Well, lovely and cute animals must not be locked into a enclosure." Martin grinned. "He still looked confused, Benny, just give him a hello... " Martin grinned up to Ben, his eyes glittered mischievously.  
"No, no. Martin, you didn't understand the principle of a zoo. The animals that you can see in a zoo are animals you want to see really badly. Hedgehogs are just boring and no one wants to see them here." Ben grinned, and raised an eyebrow.  
Martin grumbled to himself.  
"That point goes to you, you traitor."  
Benedict grinned, and gave a grinning Matilda a high five.  
"Unbelievable!", Martin smiled.

Their way had brought them further to the meerkats, they had looked at animals from the rainforest, the night life, from Africa. They had ben eating, and then they have been at the peeting zoo, they had visit insects and the Aquarium, animals from the outback, reptiles, predators, and they had been in the Butterfly House.   
Now , they just needed to visit the gorillas and the other monkeys.   
Matilda was in a great mood; she showed no signs of fatigue - she ran in front of them, jumped over the path and she had talked withouth taking a breath. She really enjoyed the day with Martin and Benedict.   
"Playground!" She cried out happily when she saw slied and climbing frames. "Let's have a race to the playground, Martin!" She was beaming.  
"Okay, the winner can choose the dinner!" He chuckled.  
"Deal!" Matilda grinned.

They looked at each other with a grin, and then they started running.   
Martin let her some advantage. And matilda was laughing while she was running to the playground - but before she could reach the playground, Martin grabbed her, pressed her with a laugh against his body and turned around. They were standing with their backs to the playground, Matilda struggled with her legs and arms, she laughed, tried to free herself, but failed.   
Martin grinned; let her down, and took the last step backwards to the playground.  
"First one." He said triumphantly.  
Matilda turned around, folded her arms in front of her chest, looked up with a smile in her eyes.  
"You've cheated." She grinned, and pressed her forefinger into Martins little tummy.  
Martin grinned cheekily; and he hunkered down to her.

Benedict had watched the two half grinning half smiling. He was sitting on one of the benches on the playground. He also enjoyed the day with Martin and Matilda, and it was geat to see Martin with a kid - it made him happy to wtach him with Matilda, it let his heart beat faster, and it let his stomach tingle. He bowed his head when Martin hunkered down.   
Martin hunkered down in front of her, smiled and made a brooding face, pondered something for dinner.  
"Hhmmh,... I want to eat pizza on the couch tonight, and I want to watch a movie."  
"I would have said the same thing!" Matilda beamed happily.  
Martin smiled gently, stroked her hair.  
"I know, sweetheart." Martin just smiled and winked.  
Matilda looked at him with big joyful eyes, wrapped her arms around the squatting Martin, who pressed her a little kiss on the temple and stroked over her back.  
"Have fun on the playground, hmh? And then we go to the monkeys and then we go home." He hugged her gently. He looked around for Ben, discovered him on a bench and looked back to Matilda. "Look, there's Benny... " He pointed with his finger to Ben." I go to him, okay?"  
Matilda nodded with a beam, gave him a kiss on the cheek and then ran to the slide.   
Martin scrambled up, watched her briefly and then came to Benedict.

Ben looked up, smiled at him.   
Martin smiled as well; he sat down, crossed his legs like Benedict; he put one hand on Benedict's thighs, and laid the other arm around his back.  
"And? What's for dinner? " Benedict asked gently.  
"Pizza on the couch with a movie."  
"Oh, she was allowed to pick the dinner, after you have won?" Ben smiled.  
"No,... i just picked, what she would have said."  
"Aww, there he is the charming gentlemen." Ben smiled to Martin.  
Martin smiled up, winked and looked back to the playground - his finger drew little circles on Benedict's thigh.

Matilda was running around with a girl, they were laughing and climbing together.  
Martin turned his head briefly to the other side, when an elderly woman settled down beside him with her daughter, who yelled something to her son at the playground. He turned his head back to Benedict, rubbed across his thigh, and then gently squeezed his knees. Benedict smiled to him, and placed a gentle kiss on Martin's head.  
"It was really great, that the day had been private." He muttered softly.  
"Hhm, you're right. Two young girls had spoken with me, when you have been on the toilet with Matilda. But I told them that I'm with family and that I would love to have a normal private day. They smiled and walked away. You know how it is, once you begin." Martin said.  
"At lunch, a few poeple looked at us as well, but I think they held back themselves."  
"I'm glad for that, really. Sometimes I just want to have a normal quiet private day, when I'm strolling around. And it's great that they are all very respectful. I can understand, that they would love to have a picture or an autograph when they see us, but it's our day with Matilda, and she really looked forward to it. I didn't want to use her time with us, to give autographs and to take pictures."  
"I absolutely agree with you." Ben said. He kissed Martin's temple, and lookedback to the playground.

Martin's hand caressed Ben's thigh, whose splinted hand lay on his own knee, the other arm was wrapped around Martin, to hold him close.  
Matilda came back after almost half an hour, she stopped in fornt of them and beamed at Martin and Ben. She was a bit sweaty and Benedict handed her the Fanta, which they had bought earlier.   
She smiled at him.  
"Thank you!"  
"You're welcome. Who was that girl?" Ben asked swith a smile.  
"I don't really know. She said her name is Neele and she'ssix years old. When I asked for school, she shook her head. She couldn't speak English, I think she's here on holiday. When I said London, she said Berlin, that's in Germany, right? Daddy was in Berlin once." She looked at them with questioning eyes, and sipped atthe bottle.  
"Yes, Berlin is in Germany, honey." Martin smiled gently.  
Matilda smiled, and after a few sips, she handed the bottle back to ben.  
"Now the monkeys and then pizzaaaa." She beamed at Martin and Ben, who stood up.


	85. Three in a bed

At 6.30 pm, they entered Martin's house in Potters Bar again; they slipped out of their shoes and jackets.  
Matilda went into the living room to Martins DVD collection; and Benedict followed Martin into the kitchen, who took the delivery note of the pizzeria, Benedict took the phone and sat down on one of the bar stools.  
"Maaaaartin? Why do you have some movies twice?" Matilda yelled out of the living room - she was irritated.  
"So that I can watch them twice." Martin yelled back with a grin.  
"Hahaha. I'm not stupid. " Martilda yelled.  
"I know, honey. These aren't only my movies, but also those of Ben, so some are now twice." He responded gently. "Do you know what you want to eat, Matilda?" Martin yelled again in the living room.  
"Can we watch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? I want a pizza with lots of cheese and salami "  
" Yes, to both." Martin yelled witha smile, and the he looked to Ben, with a gentle smile. "The same as always, darling." He stroked gently across Benedict's, and pressed a kiss on his cheek, before he went to Matilda into the living room.

Matilda put the DVD to the TV.  
Martin walked to her, stroked gently over her shoulder and took the DVD.  
"Can I wear something that's more comfortable?" She smiled.  
"Yes, sure, sweetheart." He smiled gently, and opened the DVD, while Matilda disappeared from the living room and ran upstairs to the guest room, where she had brought her backpack.  
Martin switched on the TV and put the DVD into the player, and Benedict called the pizza service; he ordered three pizzas. And after that, he took three glasses from the cupboard, as well as cutlery and went into the living room. Martin put the remote on the couch, the movie was on hiatus.  
"How long will it take?" he smiled gently.  
"About half an hour." Ben smiled, and put the glasses and cutlery onto the coffee table before he put the arms around Martin's hips and pulled him closer.  
Martin smiled up, put his arms around Benedict, who bent down to him and gave him a kiss. Martin snuggled his face into Ben's crook of the neck, and enjoyed the loving hug.

Benedict smiled to Matilda, when she entered the living room in her pajama pants and a sweater.  
"Oh, that's a great idea, I think I will change my clothes as well." Ben smiled, and stroked Martin's back, who sighed enjoyable, kissed Ben's collarbone once, and broke apart.  
Matilda beamed to them, walked to the sofa and plunked down.  
Ben went upstairs and Martin into the kitchen to get drinks, he came back into the living room with orange juice and water.  
"Can you mix it?" Matilda asked with a soft smile, when Martin came back into the living room.  
"I can make this." He smiled. He mixed Matildas drink, filled her glass, and afterwards he filled Ben's and his glass just with water. "I go upstairs and change as well." He pressed her with a bug grin onto the sofa. Matilda was laughing, took almost the entire space of the sofa. 

On the stairs, he met Benedict.  
His partner walked towards him with a smile, but Martin grabbed his wrist. Ben looked up at him, was a level below. Martin winked, he loosened his hand, and put it on Ben's cheek; his gaze was warm and welcoming, the eyes beamed with love, and he smiled charmingly. Ben smiled, he leaned in and exchanged a loving kiss with Martin; his hand slipped under Martin's sweater and shirt and crawled the bar skin.  
Martin sighed, pressed a kiss on Ben's lips, rubbed his nose across Ben's and broke apart slowly.  
"Are you alright?" Benedict asked gently.  
"Hmh, I'm fine" He stroked with his thumb over Benedict's cheek. "You too?"  
"All is fine,... it's a great weekend so far." Ben smiled.  
"Absolutely." Martin pressed a last kiss on Ben's lips.  
Their paths split again; Martin walked upstairs, and Benedict downstairs.  
"Hey,... Martin? " Benedict called up from the bottom. Martin turned his head around. "I love you."  
Martin smiled and winked.  
"I love you, too, Benedict."  
They smiled at each other, before Martin went into the bedroom and Benedict into the living room.

Out of the living room one could hear a bright and a deep laugh.  
Matilda was lying on the couch, struggled with her legs and tried to fight with her hands, while she was laughing really much.  
Benedict was kneeling on the sofa, his fingers tickled Matildas belly and her sides, he laughed.  
Martin already heard them on the staircase and when he entered the living room and came to the couch, he realized why they were laughing so hard - he grinned down.  
Matilda blurted laughing.  
"Marrrtin, help me!"  
Benedict grinned broadly.  
"Damn it, your bodyguard is back." Ben grinned.  
Martin still grinned at the two.  
"Where is he ticklish?" Matilda grinned.  
Martin's eyes lit up mischievously. He eyed Benedict briefly, and on his face spread an evil grin, when he saw that Ben was wearing no socks. He came closer, tickled Ben on his feet, who let Matilda go immediatly, laughed really hard and wobbled with the feet.  
"That's one spot, where he is ticklish." Martin grinned still with an evil face.  
Matilda grinned cheekily.  
Martin's hands disappeared from Benedict's feet; he slipped under Benedict's T-Shirt and the fingers tickled Ben on the side.  
Benedict laughed even more.  
"And here he is ticklish as well." Martin grinned broadly, and he just pretended that he couldn't hear Ben's begging and pleading.  
Matilda grinned and watched Ben, who was begging and pleading an laughing - and he sighed, when Martin's hands disappeared.  
Martin's hands disappeared briefly, but he laid his hands around his neck,and his fingers began to tickle him in the crook of his neck.  
"Oh, and here. Here, he is very ticklish. I could tickle him here, and you could tickle him on his sides, that would be fun, wouldn't it? Martin grinned.,a nd Matilda grinned as mischievous as Martin.  
They tickled Ben, who laughed and wanted to free himself, and who begged and pleaded for mercy, while he gasps and panted with laugher.  
Martin raised an eyebrow, looked questioningly at the Matilda.  
"Do we have pity with him?"  
"Yeeees,... but just because we have annoyed him with the otters." Matilda grinned, and stopped tickling Benedict.  
Ben breathed out in relief, when Martin and Matilda stopped their tickling.  
Matilda stretched upwards and pressed him a kiss on the cheek, while Martin rubbed across his T-Shirt, leaned in and kissed the back of his head.

 

Four legs were lying onto the coffee table - bare feet.  
Two shorter legs in blue pajama pants, two longer legs in a grey jogging pants.  
Otherwise, the empty pizza boxes were lying onto the coffee table, three empty bowls in which had been ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sauce and smarties; and the three used glasses were also standing onto the table.  
Matilda was lying between Ben and Martin; she was wrapped in Martin's Hobbit dressing gown, the head lay on Martin's lap, the feet on Benedict's thigh.  
The movie was over.  
Martin ran his hand through her hair.  
"Okay,... come on, honey. Brushing teeth and then off to bed, it's almost 11 o'clock." Martin smiled down to Matilda, who answered with a yawn and slowly scrambled up. "I come with you." Martin said softly.  
Matilda nodded and rubbed his eyes; she sat down on her knees, wrapped her arms around Benedict, and pressed him a kiss on the cheek.  
"Sleep well, Ben." She smiled.  
Benedict smiled, stroked her back with his hand, and pressed her a gentle kiss on her temple.  
"Sleep well and sweet dreams." He winked gently.  
Matilda slipped out of the dressing gown.  
"Yes, I will see you tomorrow morning." She mumbled and yawned.  
She waved again and then went upstairs to the bathroom with Martin. 

She brushed her teeth, washed her face and then slipped into the bed and under the covers.  
She yawned again, rubbed her eyes, looked up to Martin, who was sitting on the edge of the bed. He stroked her hair out of her face and gently behind her ears.  
"Benny and I are still in the living room - for a while, before we go to bed. If there's anything you need, you can just come to us, okay?“  
"Hmh, okay, Martin" She smiled up.  
"Good night, sweetheart, sleep well." He stroked her cheek, and gave her a kiss on it.  
"You, too." She said in a sleepy voice, and kissed his cheek as well.  
Martin smiled, covered her again and then stood up; he walked to the door, and was about to switch off the light when Matilda muttered something.  
"I love you, and the day was great."  
Martin bowed his head, smiled gently.  
"I love you, too. And, Ben and I loved the day with you as well. It was lovely to spend the day with you at the zoo and with a movie and a pizza. See you tomorrow morning, sweeheart." He said with a quiet, gentle voice, and he switched off the light, when Matilda had smiled again.

He closed the door, and went back into the living room and dropped down onto the sofa.  
And as soon as he had sat down, Ben snuggled and cuddled with him.  
The head was lying in Martin's lap, Martin's Hobbit dressing gown, covered his body a bit. He zapped through the program  
Martin smiled down, and buried his hand into Ben's auburn hair - he played with teh strands.  
"Can you give me my phone, cuddly cat?" Me asked softly with a smile.  
Benedict reached for the phone, which was lying on the table and stretched his arm up to Martin.  
"Thank you."  
"You're welcome, love." Ben smiled.  
Martin opened the Whatsappchat with Simon and wrote a short message to him.

 _"The battery of your little monsters is empty. It's now lying in bed ;-). They day was great. Have a nice rest date with your wife. We see you two tomorrow."_ \- Martin

He put the phone onto the armrest, looked up at the TV. Benedict was still zapping through the TV, and Martin still played with Ben's strands.  
Martin's phone was blinking; he took it and opened the message.

 _"How did you manage that??? We need urgently your secret weapon. You can give me that file tomorrow. :-D. Great, that your three had had a lovely day. We're on the way to a nice pub and a little snack. We wish you two a lovely night as well. See you tomorrow."_ \- Simon.

 

Benedict and Martin didn't stay long in the living room; after Ben had zapped three times through the whole television program, Martin had taken the remote, and switched off the telly.  
He had made clear that the program wouldn't get better, if Ben was zapping through it a hundred times - and Ben had said that maybe later would come something good. But Martin had been stubborn; he had said, that he didn't believe that Ben would be able to stay awake the next ten minutes. Ben had been a bit grumpy, but in the end, he had walked upstairs with Martin, to get ready for bed.  
Martin hadn't been able to say good night to Ben properly, because Ben had fallen asleep as soon as his head had lain onto the pillow.

At night it had begun to rain, just a little - but then it became more and more, it stormed, the wind yowled, the thunder rumbled and lightnings flashed through the sky.  
Benedict was half-awake, he lying on the side.  
Martin had snuggled up behind him, an arm was lying under Benedict's head, the other lay around his upper body, the hand had pushed the T-shirt upwards and was lying on Benedict's chest, on the bare and warm skin; and he had pushed a leg between Benedict's legs, the face was pressed into Ben's hair.  
When the mattress lowered a bit and moved, Benedict opened his eyes.

Matilda sat on the edge of the bed; she struck her hair behind her ear, and looked at him with big eyes.  
Benedict gave a start; his heart raced briefly like mad, but calmed down quickly again.  
He looked up to Matilda, raised his hand, stroked her cheek and whispered.  
"Hey,... are you alright?"  
"The storm is really loud. I don't like thunderstorms. It's scary." She mumbled softly, and she winced when a new thunder rumbled and a new lightning flashed across the sky.  
"It's all good here, you're inside. We will not get wet, we will not freeze, your hair will not ruffled by the wind." He winked. "Imagine, that the noise is something else."  
"And what?" She asked.  
"Hmm, imagine, that there is playing a band,... and that they are really really bad, they have no rhythm and just made bad sounds with their instruments,... and the guy who thinks he can sing, is just howling with false tones." He smiled.  
"And the lightning?"  
"This are their lightning effect on the stage." Ben smiled.  
Matilda smiled. She looked around, to Martin, who was still sleeping and snugling and cuddling; she looked to Ben and to the blanket, and again to Ben, who lifted the blanket for her.  
"Come here, we will go to the concert together" He winked.  
Matilda smiled; she scrabbled to Benedict, slipped close and snuggled her back at Ben's chest and stomach. Martin drew back his hand, put it on Benedict's hip. Benedict dropped the blanket and put his arm around Matilda.  
She closed her eyes again, and winced again, but the last that Ben could hear from her was a not-so frightened whisper.  
"They are really bad, they need to rehearse better,... and I want my money back."  
Benedict smiled, breathed her a kiss on the hair and fell asleep again.

 

When Martin woke up the next day, he rubbed his nose through Benedict's hair. He breathed him in, enjoyed the smell, pressed a kiss into his hair and cuddled even closer.  
Benedict purred softly, he was awake since a few minutes.  
Martin breathed him a kiss on the neck, wanted to caressed Benedict's belly, but he felt another body on his hand. He lifted his head, opened his eyes and tilted his head when he saw Matilda cuddling in Benedict's arm - she snuggled against his chest and belly. He looked to Ben, who turned his head slightly to him, smiled gently.  
"Thunderstorm." Ben whispered.  
Martin smiled; he let his head sink again, cuddled up to Ben again - and now he felt, that he was hardly covered with a blanket.  
The largest part of the blanket covered Matilda and Ben - but just Martin's arm was covered a bit.  
"When did she come here?" He asked softly into Benedict's neck, and snuggled closer against the warm body.  
"At some point during the night, I haven't seen the time, honey."  
Martin nodded slightly and put his arm around Benedict - his hand lay on Matilda's side, just above her hip.

He was silent a moment, before he kissed Ben's neck again. He put his lips on Ben's ear and whispered with warm, loving voice.  
"A kid suits you very much."  
He breathed Benedict a kiss on the ear.


	86. Do you want...

The Sunday morning had been as rainy as the night.  
Martin hadn't heard anything in the night; he had slept perfectly fine, but Matilda had told him in the morning how horrible it had been in the night.   
When Matilda had woken up in the night, she had tried to go back to sleep alone, but it had been just too loud and scary.   
Benedict's suggestion to imagine it as a concert had helped very well, as well as his protective embrace in bed. She had enjoyed it to sleep in his arms and also the fighting and tickling in bed this morning with Martin and Ben.   
Together they had eaten breakfast, and afterwards Martin and Ben had taken a shower, and she had washed herself as well.  
And before they were driven to Simon and Maureen, they had played cards.

Benedict and Martin had brought Matilda to Simon and Maureen; they had talked a bit, and then they had left again.  
Matilda had spoken the whole time during the lunch; she had told her parents what they had done yesterday and this morning - in every little detail.   
She told, that they had teased Benedict with the otters, in which order they had visited the animals, that their had been a very long queue at lunch. She had told everything - the race with Martin, that she met a girl on the playground, that they had ordered pizza and watched a movie, and that they had eaten icecream, with whipped cream, chocolate sauce and Smarties.   
At the end Simon had meant, that he would book Martin and Ben more often as entertainer - and the he had warm up Matildas cold lunch again. 

 

Martin and Benedict had cooked a little something for lunch; they had eaten together and cleaned up.  
Afterwards Benedict had made himself comfortable in one of the armchairs; he had read, while Martin had lain on the couch and had watched telly.   
And as it had stopped raining in the afternoon, the two men opted for a stroll.   
Martin picked up a jacket, took the key and walked with Ben out of the house.  
It was still wet; leaves lay on the sidewalks and the streets, as well as some smaller branches. The sky was still slightly grey, but some clouds let the sun shine through.   
They strolled together along the road, which they crossed at some point, and walked along the way to the fields. Martin's right hand was in his jacket pocket, the other hand waas holding Benedict's hand, his thumb caressed across Benedict's back of the hand. The wind was tousling through their hair, the wet gravel road under their shoes crunched at every step. The both men were silent.

A while they just walked next to each other without saying a word - just holding hands.  
Martin buried the face slightly into the collar of his jacket; Benedict had turned up the collar of his coat.  
He stopped with Martin at a shelter at the edge of the forest; he looked to the bench, which wasn't wet. He let go Martin's hand, stepped under the shelter, sat down and stretched out his legs comfortably.  
Martin looked down at him, bowed his head.  
"Does your foot hurt?" He asked softly, and came to him.  
"No, everything is good." Ben smiled.  
Martin nodded with a smile; he sat down next to him, crossed his legs, laid his hand in his lap, and looked across the fields of Potters Bar to some houses. Benedict looked in the same direction, the hands lay beside his thighs on the edge of the bench.  
"I wanted to talk with you, Martin."  
Martin turned his head to Ben, who still looked over the fields.  
"Um, is... is everything fine with us?" Martin asked insecurely  
Benedict turned his head to Martin.  
'Yes. I didn't mean this kind of talking. Everything is fine between us, with us as a couple. I wanted to talk about something else." He smiled gently, and pressed Martin's knee.  
"Okay, then my heart can calm down again." Martin nodded. "What are you thinking about?"  
"Children. In the summer, we have said that we will talk about children again, and well, after the day yesterday with Matilda, I thought it would be the right time, to do it. In the summer, it sounded as if you could imagine to have a child."

Martin bowed his head, listened and nodded as Benedict was quiet again.  
"Yes,... basically I can imagine it."  
"Well. I really loved it to see you with Matilda yesterday. I generally love it to see you with children, no matter if it is the little boy with his duck, Matilda or other kids. It's nice to see you fooling around with them, laughing with them, holding hands - you're very protective. And the picture of you and Matilda, when she was sitting on your shoulders, was also very lovely. Not to mention the barbecue, when she had fallen asleep on your lap." Ben smiled.  
Martin smiled lovingly, and nudged him with his shoulder.  
"I can give that back; it's great to see you with kids, and he day with you and Matilda was really lovely - to see you with her in the living room, when you had tickled her, too see her saying good night to you, or to see her sleeping in your arms this morning, had been really lovely. You look pretty good as a Dad."  
Ben smiled gently; his hand was still lying on Martin's knee, but the head was turned back to the fields -he let his gaze flicker across the fields.  
"I always wanted to have children. That hasn't changed, even though it doesn't work with us - I mean it doesn't work in the biologically way; we can't have a child together."  
Martin eyed him softly, while he was speaking.  
"This isn't possible, that's true. And, like you, I always wanted to have a family; a house, a wife, children." He nudged Ben gently again "Now I have a house, and my lovely partner is almost moved in. It's not impossible for us to have children, there are other ways." Martin smiled gently.

Ben turned his head back to Martin, who grinned softly.  
"Who knows what child would come out, Benny - if it would be possible biologically. I mean a hedgehog and an otter; I think, it's not allowed, isn't it." He grinned and winked. He put his hand on Benedict's, which was lying on his knees. He had noticed that Ben was really tense; he knew how much Ben would love to have children, how much he wanted to be a dad. "Probably something huge with spikes." Martin tried to make him grin, to make him more relax.  
Ben needed to chuckle.  
"Or something small with my weird face."  
"You haven't a weird face, Ben! I really love your hair, I prefer it like it his now - not too short, a bit curly, auburn. And I love your eyes and your cheek bones... " He winked. "And your lips, I really love your lips, and you could be so kind, to kiss me with those lovely lips, before we go on with talking about us, the future and a child." Martin smiled gently.  
Benedict smiled back, had tilted his head, leaned down to Martin, and gave him a loving kiss.  
Martin smiled into the kiss, gave him one back, and patted his hands softly.  
"Okay, I've the feeling you want to ask a question, sweetheart. So, just ask."

Ben nodded.  
"The question is whether you would like to adopt a child with me or not."  
Martin smiled; he grabbed Benedict's hand, stroked with his thumb across it and squeezed it softly. He nodded.  
"Yes, Ben, I could imagine to adopt a child with you. I would love to. I'm very happy with you, and I'm really looking forward, when my house is our house. And it would make me very happy, when in our house would live three people at some point."  
"This is a very good answer." Ben beamed. "So, would you be a grumpy dad, or would you be a very affectionate dad, who allows everything?" Ben smiled.  
Martin grinned and bowed his head.  
"Both,... I will be grumpy and strict, but also very loving and hug and kiss him or her very often. And you will be probably the one, who allows almost everything." Martin winked with a grin.  
"Sounds completely like us." Ben grinned, and squeezed Martin's hand.

Martin smiled to him, also squeezed his hand and looked back to the fields.   
The clouds had opened up a bit more.  
Benedict played with Martin's fingers; he turned his head back to the fields. 

It passed more than half and hour in which both had been silent.   
Martin was the first one, who spoke again.  
"Benny, I really would love to adopt a child. A child, Benny, not a baby. I mean, we aren't that young anymore. You turned forty this year, and I'm forty-five. At the moment. Until we actually have a child, we are one or two years older. I need to be honest, I really love babies, they are cute and it's great to see the first steps and to hear the first words and all that - it was always lovely to see and to hear that with my nieces or nephews or Matilda - but I didn't want to have a baby anymore. I don't want to have a baby that cries in the night, because it's hungry, or feeling alone, or it gets teeth, or because of a full nappy - if I'm honest, I don't think, that I would be that relaxed, I feel to old for it." He said softly, and turned his head to Ben. "Is that alright for you,... if it would be a boy or girl which is three, or something like that?"  
Benedict turned his head around to Martin; he leaned back, crossed his legs, loosened his hand and laid his arm around Martin's shoulder, pressed him into a soft hug.  
"That would be fine. I also could imagine to have a baby, but your suggestion is absolutely fine with me as well. I can understand you; I mean, your five years older than me, and probably I would feel the same, if we both would be forty-five. It's fine, Martin." He muttered with a warm voice against Martin's hair.

Martin snuggled into the soft hug; he laid an arm around Ben's back and the other around Ben's stomach. he enjoyed Benedict's hug, and the caressed and the kisses.  
"There is something else we need to talk about, Ben. We both have a lot of projects, and we both are travelling a lot. There had been times, when I wasn't in the UK for a very long time; especially during the Hobbit, after that I was in Canada to shoot Fargo - I wasn't at home for 18 months - just for shooting Sherlock in Wales and for a bit of Christmas vacation. Then last year and at the beginning of this year, I have been in Puerto for a long time. And you're also very often on the road, much more than I, or well, you're more often in far away countries. I don't want to have a child, and then it just stays with your parents or my parents or with someone else. I mean, I think they all would love to spend time with him or her, but it shouldn't be like that. We both want to have a child, and a child means nearness, to come to a rest, to be domesticated, to settle down and not to build up a hundreds or thousands of kilometres distance."  
Benedict had listened to his words, and breathed him a kiss on the head.   
"Hhm, we should think about something suitable, Martin, how we can solve this problem."

Martin broke apart, just a bit - his hands lay still on Benedict's back and belly. He looked at Ben with warm eyes.  
"Darling,... maybe I have a solution, just listen, it's just a thought, you don't need to say yes immediately. You know, I am the type of person who doesn't need to travel around that much; you know, I am the one, who's rather at home than anywhere else; and you know, how much I'm interested in the date when I can fly back home, to the people I love. I really love my job,... I mean I can do one of my hobbies as my profession, you can say that about himself. But, to be honest, I don't need the Hollywood thing, not that much. I really love the English films and series, and I love the theatre. I love to play theatre, it's something I could do all day long. What I want to say, it would be okay for me, to take more jobs in the UK, or at the theatre."  
"You,... Martin, you want to withdraw a bit more? You want to be at home more often? Seriously? I mean, you really loved to do the Hobbit, and Fargo, and StartUp and Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, and all that."  
"Yes, of course it had been fun, the time had been great, and at some point it's just over. You know, I'm not the guy who sorrows about the end of a shooting, or the end of a character; it's great to come to an end, because that means that the audience is able to see the movie, and I'm mean that's what we want as actors. Ben, I don't want to stop acting, I just want to focus a bit more on projects in the UK and the theatre. So, that I will be more at home, or at least in the evenings and the weekends."  
"Would you really do that? Martin, that is a big thing." Ben looked at him.  
"Yes, I would do that, Benny. Because I love you, and you and our future is more important to me, than travel through the world, and to shoot one movie after another. I don't want to quit my job, I just want to change it a bit. I can still do what I love, and it's a bit more relaxed again." He stroked gently across Ben's belly.

Benedict bowed his head; he raised his hand and stroked through Martin's hair. He looked at Martin with insecure eyes.  
"I'm just afraid, that you will regret it later, Martin. You are such an incredibly good and talented actor and you have so many offers, which isn't a surprise."  
Martin smiled gently, breathed Ben a kiss on the cheek.  
"Thank you, honey. You're also an incredibly talented actor and probably you have more offers than me, especially for productions in Hollywood. And I don't think, that I will this. I love to a part in English movies; I enjoy Sherlock with you very much, Watson is a character I could play forever; and I love to play theatre, I've done it really often in my youth, and then out of a sudden, I haven't done it any longer - despite Richard, two years ago. Peter once said, that I am quite similar to Bilbo; because I like good food, or I love food in general, and that I love to be at home with a nice cup of tea, and that I prefer my peace more than any adventure. And he's right." Martin smiled softly  
"Hmm. Then our son or our daughter willl be as naughty and grumpy as you. I don't know if I can take the responsibilty for that or whether it would be already a breach of parental responsibility." Benedict smiled with a grin.  
"Was this a bit of a yes to my suggestion?" Martin smiled.  
"That was already a three quarters ses. You almost convinced me." Ben smiled, and stroked across Martin's cheek. "This gesture,... or well, your suggestion, is unbelievable, Martin."  
Martin leaned his forehead against Benedict's.  
"Will we work on it next year? To get a child, and to become daddys?" Martin smiled affectionately.  
"Yes, we will." Ben beamed.


	87. Something to celebrate

The October had been quite uncomfortable; it had often rained and stormed, and one hadn't been able to enjoy the autumn.   
Benedict had been on more appointments; his ribs were healed, and one couldn't see bruises and grazes any longer.The swollen ankle was healed as well, after session of physiotherapy, and the orthopaedist had exchanged the splint today - Ben had now a bandage, which he should use, if he uses his hand very much. He was glad that he was allowed to move the hand again, even though he knew, that he still couldn't use the hand like he did before the accident.  
Benedict's house in London was empty now, and the agent would take care of the sale.  
Martin himself was working at the theatre from Monday to Saturday, and he usually found Ben sleeping on the sofa. It was mostly the same picture every night: The television was running, Benedict lay on the couch - covered under the Hobbit dressing gown.  
Martin had awakened him every time, then they had gone to bed and had talked about the day, before they had fallen asleep together.

Tonight, Benedict had travelled to the Wyndham's Theatre in London by taxi.  
He stood in the vicinity of the stage door and chatted with Martin's driver Matthew.  
As every night a lot of fans were waiting in front of the stage door to get some photos and autographs.   
Martin was the first one who came out.

Tomorrow was Halloween, and in the next week no performances took place, because of too many other events, which had been already planned in the theatre.   
Martin was happy about the free week; tomorrow he would celebrate Halloween with Benedict and a couple of friends; and in the next week, he could go with Ben to the premiere of Doctor Strange. A week off meant once again a bit more time for Benedict, than just sharing breakfast and saying good night; even though, Ben would be in the dubbing studio.   
Martin wrapped his scarf around his neck; he gave a few autographs and took a few pictures with the waiting fans - some of them just photographed the whole time, while he was signing, talking, or posing for other pictures.  
Martin took his time, he wasn't in a hurry, and he really appreciated that all the fans were waiting here for a few hours. To be honest, he was getting cold right now, and he wasn't standing in the cold that long, like all the fans.

He rubbed his hands, smiled again, said goodbye, and walked in the direction of Matthew, who would take him home.  
His steps got faster, a wide beam spread across his face, when he saw the man who stood next to Matthew.   
The hair was styled; he wore glasses, a black jacket and dark blue tight jeans, the grey scarf was wrapped around his neck.   
He could totally understand the girls, who get completely hysterically, when when he showed up somewhere. He was just a gorgeous hot man - and wouldn't he be his colleague, friend and boyfriend, he would freak out as well.  
He stopped in front of the two men and smiled briefly to Matthew - greeted him. He knew each other quite long now - if he had to go to an appointment, it was mostly Matthew, who drove him. 

He turned his head to Ben, beamed at him.  
"Darling." He smiled with beaming eyes, and wrapped his arms around Ben.   
"Hey." Benedict smiled, and hugged him softly.  
He leaned down slightly, breathed a kiss on Martins lips.   
Martin's hands caressed to Ben's shoulder blades, he returned the kiss gently, rubbed his nose against Ben's and pressed him a kiss on the cheek.  
"Have you been in the theatre?" Martin asked smiling.  
"No, no. I haven't had a ticket, and I didn't want to wave with the 'Hello-I'm-a-celebrity-card'. I just wanted to pick you up, love.“  
"You came over from Potters Bar to pick me up?" Martin smiled.  
"Yes,... and I wanted to ask you if you would love to go out for a drink. In the last weeks, we haven't had time to go out properly - you have been in the theatre every evening, and I have had appointments in the morning, well and the last Sundays we've spent with moving the rest of my things to you."  
"Oh, going out for a drink sounds great." Martin smiled. "Can we walk? I would love to have a little walk."  
"We can, the Bassoon Bar isn't far away.“  
"Great, I like the Bassoon Bar." He smiled.  
Martin broke apart, took Ben's hand and turned to the car; he knocked at the window - Matthew had gotten in, after he had greeted Martin.

Matthew rolled down the window, and smiled to Martin.  
"Um, we would go for drink, and then we drive home with a cab. Sorry, that you have needed to wait all the time." He smiled apologetically.  
"No problem, Martin. It's fine. So tomorrow 4:45 pm?" Matt smiled.  
"Yes, 4.45 pm."  
"Perfect, then a nice evening."  
"Thank you, you, too." Martin smiled.  
He looked back to Benedict, who also raised his hand briefly, before Matthew drove off.   
Martin and Ben strolled together towards the Thames.

"How was your doctor appointment?" Martin asked smiling.  
"Great, he gave me a bandage, which I shall use, if I need my hand a lot. It's for the next weeks, until I can use my hand properly again." Ben smiled. "It's a shit, that it is cold an rainy now. The new motorcycle is standing in the garage, and I can't use it until next year - and then there are a lot of projects."  
"It's almost November, darling. I know how much you love it to drive with your motorcycle and that you would love to test the new one, but the time will pass really fast, and maybe you're able to drive a few times in between your projects." Martin squeezed his hand gently, and smiled up to Ben.   
"This is half a year, sweetheart." Ben grinned.  
Martin rolled his eyes with a grin.  
"Jesus, you're annoying." He grinned softly. "Yes, I know, Benny. Look, you still have a lot of appointments this year; and then it's Christmas and New Years Eve, and next year you've a lot of projects as well, so you will be busy throughout the day. You shouldn't think about it the whole day, and you should stop to get mad every time. Honey, you can't change it, the accident happened and you can be really happy that the outcome was that 'good'. You're still able to drive your motorcycle, love, you just have to wait. The time will pass really fast, I promise you that. I mean, look, we're almost a year in a relationship, the time passed by so quickly. It didn't even feel, like a year had passed.“  
Baiden sighed and nodded.  
"Hmh, yeah, you're right." Ben sighed, and squeezed Martin's hand. "The time had passed incredibly quickly." Ben smiled.  
Martin smiled, and squeezed Benedict's hand gently.  
They strolled silently to the Bassoon Bar.

Benedict opened the door for Martin.  
The bar was integrated in the Corinthia hotel. Almost every night one could enjoy live music in an elegant atmosphere.   
The couple walked to one of the leather sofas.   
Martin opened his jacket, slipped out of it and tied off his scarf. He put both things on the chair, which was standing at the small coffee table. He sat down with his bright knit jumper.   
Benedict put his jacket, as well as the scarf to Martins things, and then he sat down to him, with a black button up shirt. He put his arm on the backrest and turned to Martin, who also had turned around.  
Martin put his hand on Benedict's arm, his eyes beamed to him, the forefinger caressed across Benedict's forearm - he smiled gently.  
"It's lovely that you picked me up."  
Benedict's hand lay on Martin's upper arm, the fingers caressed softly across the jumper - he looked at Martin with beaming eyes and a gentle smile.  
"I missed you." Ben smiled.  
"I missed you too, Ben. I have a week off now, and so we can spent at least the whole evenings together. And I'm able to come to your premiere, Dr. Strange." Martin smiled with a wink."  
"Oh yeah, and that's great." Ben beamed. "And we can cook together and we can enjoy the evening. The last time, you always needed to wake me up, and then you talked about your day, and I talked about my day very sleepily."  
Martin grinned softly.  
"You haven't listened properly, and all the things you said hadn't made any sense, Benny. Neither the things you talked about in bed, nor the things you talked about during the breakfast."  
Benedict grinned.  
"My memories of these conversations didn't exist any longe, if I'm honest. I have no idea what I told you. And I'm not really a morning person."  
"That's right, you're really not a morning person,... me neither." Martin grinned, and looked up when one of the waiters came to them.

Benedict ordered a bottle of red wine for both of them, after the waiter had greeted them.   
The man walked back to the bar and ordered the wine, and walked back to Martin and Benedict and brought them the wine and two glasses.   
Martin's arm was still lying on the backrest; the hand was lying on Benedict's forearm, and his other hand lay on Ben's hip. They thights touched, and Ben's hand still caressed Martin's arm on the backrest.   
They thanked the waiter, who had filled the glasses.

Martin bowed his head; he bent forward handed Ben a glass and took the other, and leaned back again.   
"Why are we drinkink a whole bottle of wine?" Martin smiled with questioning eyes.  
"There's something to celebrate." Benedict said with a smile.  
"Something to celebrate? What are we celebrating?" Martin asked smiling, and locked eyes with Ben.  
"The agent called me earlier, she sold the house this afternoon."  
"That means there is only one house now," Martin muttered with a warm voice.  
"Hmh, there is only one house." Benedict's eyes sparkled.  
"Our house?" Martin's eyes beamed warmly to Ben, who nodded with beaming eyes "Then... we should clink glasses now,... um, to our first house?"  
"Yes,... to our first house." Benedict smiled.  
They clinked glasses, and took a sip.

Martin held his glass in hand, twirled it, and beamed to Ben; he leaned in, and kissed Benedict's lips softly. He smiled against the lips, and gave him a second gentle kiss.   
"The next time we will celebrate something like that, we will sit in a retirement home. And clink glasses to our room." Martin grinned tenderly.  
Benedict laughed warmly.   
"Do you mean we will manage that?" Ben grinned.  
"I've survived almost a year with you and a two weeks holiday - I think I will manage the rest." Martin smiled broadly. "And, Mr. Cumberbatch, we have talked about the daddy and child thing, and we've decided that we will take care about it next year. So, I won't think about, how I could break up with you in 7 years." Martin smiled.  
"That makes sense, Mr. Freeman. But maybe you change your mind in thirty years." Ben smiled.  
"Then I'm seventy-five, maybe I will already sit in the retirement home." Martin smirked. And then he bowed his head. "I don't know what will be in ten, twenty, thirty, or forty years, Benny. And I don't want to know it now. I don't want to know anything, neither the good things, nor the bad things. And I don't know what will be with us,... but we both can do a lot, so that it will be good, so that we both can sit in the retirement home, in a rocking chair. And I think we will manage it; the way we live this relationship is great and loving, and so I'm sure, I will turn really old with you." He smiled fondly.  
"I can just agree with you. I also don't want to know what happened. But I will do everything I can for us, so that I can watch you in a rocking chair." Ben smiled lovingly.  
He leaned in to Martin and captured his lips for a loving and tender kiss.

 

The couple listened to the music in the background, they talked and drank their wine.   
They enjoyed their evening, the quiet atmosphere in the bar, the music that was played by a man on the piano.  
Benedict paid shortly after 1 o'clock.   
They dressed again and left the Bassoon Bar.   
Benedict wrapped his arm around Martin's shoulder.   
Martin smiled up, put his arm around Benedict's back, and laid his head against Ben's shoulder. He felt the wine in his veins; he hadn't eaten that much today.   
They walked to the Thames, strolled along the water - they could look at the lighted London Eye.   
Martin snuggled into Ben's hug, during they stroll; he really enjoyed the nearness.   
Benedict stopped and broke apart.  
Martin sat down on the stone wall, and Benedict smiled down to him. Martin ran his hair through his hair and rubbed across his face.  
Benedict stood between Martin's legs; he wrapped his arms around Martin's neck, and looked across the Thames. He could feel Martin's cuddling and snuggling; he could feel, that Martin pressed his face into the jacket. He put his chin onto Martin's head, and pressed him closer - he hugged him lovingly.

"I... am... drunk." Martin muttered slowly with his warm voice into Benedict's jacket.  
"I can hear it, sweetheart." Ben smiled.  
"Hmm, I haven't eaten enough today. What did you cook?"  
"Salad and wok vegetables with pasta..." Ben smiled.  
"This is delicious.“  
"I've cooked a little bit more, we can eat it tomorrow for lunch, Martin" He kissed Martin's hair, who sighed in pleasure.   
Martin rasied his head, and looked up.  
"That's lovely." Martin mumbled.

He beamed up to Ben; he raised his arms, grabbed Benedict's collar of the jacket and and pulled him down. His dark blue eyes beamed in the greenish eyes of Ben; he smiled at Ben, licked his lips, and then he kissed him tenderly. His hands still grabbed the collar of Benedicts jacket, his lips were moving slowly and gently, his tongue begged for entry. He played with Ben's tongue, tasted the wine. He got lost in the kiss with Ben; he only broke apart from Ben's warm and soft lips, because he ran out of air. He cuddled his cheek against Ben's; his eyes were closed, his cuddled on the Ben, the eyes remained closed, his hands still grabbed the collar and he still pulled him down - he breathed him in.  
"Tired." Martin muttered Martin in Benedict's ear, and cuddled his cheek more on Benedict's, rubbing gently back and forth.  
"You don't have to tell me that; I can hear that, I can see that,... and I can feel it. I know you love cuddling, as much as I love it, but when you're really tired,... then I'm like your stuffed animal. It's unbelievable how cuddly you become when you're tired." Ben smiled softly, and hugged him tightly.  
Martin pressed his face into Ben's crook of the neck, his cheeks were red and they were burning. Ben was right, and it was a bit embarrassing, that he used him like his loved stuffed animal when he is really tired.  
"Come on, let's go home, sweetheart." Ben murmured affectionately with a deep voice in Martin's ear.  
"Yeah, to our home." Martin muttered back with a warm, sleepy and happy voice.


	88. Autumn fun

Benedict eyed with sleepy eyes the man who lying was next to him in bed. His eyes wandered slowly across his face.   
Martin was still asleep; his head lay on one of his arms, and the other arm was stretched out to Ben - tha hand grabbed Bens T-shirt in the area of the stomach. The gray hair was tousled.  
Ben smiled softly, supported his head on the palm of his hand and watched Martin.   
Martins chest rose and fell evenly; he seemed completely relaxed and smiled in his sleep.

Our home; Benedict thought when he watched Martin.   
It was great to know that his house was sold now, and that he now lived with Martin and their house - in the house, in which they had confessed their love for each other during an embarrassing party game. 

Benedict's eyes watched Martin; Martins face, Martins movements - every single and little movement.   
Martin's hand fumbled at Benedict's T-shirt and slipped under the fabric - the fingers touched the warm and bare skin of the flat stomach.   
Martin hummed sleepily; he blinked, wrinkled his nose and rubbed his eyes across the arm on which he was lying. The blue eyes blinked sleepily and looked up to Benedict. He smiled briefly, and then he yawned a few times and stretched his legs.  
Benedict smiled with warm eyes; he raised his hand, and ran it through Martins tousled hair.  
"Have you slept well, honey?" Benasked in a quiet voice, and his hand still ran through Martin's hair.  
"Hmh,... I have." Martin muttered blearily.

Martin sighed, and smiled and beamed sleepily to Ben.   
"How long are you awake?" Martin smiled, and let his fingertips run across the bare belly of Ben.  
"A few minutes." Benedict's eyes beamed, and his forefinger ran slowly and softly across Martin's ear.  
Martin closed his eyes, shivered pleasantly and sighed when he felt Ben's finger along his neck along - gently to the collarbone and under the T-shirt.  
"Hmhh, Benny... " Martin mumbled with a sigh.

Martin opened his eyes again; he looked up to Ben and smiled at him softly.   
"The wine had knocked me out, yesterday." He smiled gently.  
"I think it wasn't just the wine, love. You were exhausted from the theatre and you haven't eaten much yesterday. It was a long day, Martin." Ben smiled, and bent down - he kissed gently Martin's temple.  
"Yeah probably it was a combination of everything." Martin smiled gently, and supported his head on his hand. He bent forward, kissed Ben's shoulder, and looked to the alarm clock. "Jesus, it almost 11 o'clock." He murmured with a surprised voice.  
He dropped his head down to Ben again, and kissed his unshaven cheek.   
Benedict smiled and closed his eyes.  
"Well, then let's stay in bed, until it is 11 o'clock.“  
Martin smiled, nodded at his cheek, and then he snuggled into Ben's arms.  
"I agree!"

The couple spent the remaining morning in their bed and in the shower.   
When they were finished, they dressed and ate the food, which Bened had cooked last night.   
Tonight, they would go to the annual Halloween party of Jonathan Ross - a lot of other celebrities were invited, and they would meet Simon, Maureen, Amanda, Mark and Ian.  
Benedict came to Martin, who was standing just in front of the bookshelf and was searching a book. Ben laid his arms around Martin's belly, and kissed his shoulder.  
"Before you start to read, sweetheart,...the sun is shining, are you fancy a stroll, or are you too much in love with the sofa right now?" Ben smiled, and kissed Martins ear.   
Martin pushed the book back; he closed his eyes, laid his hands on Benedict's hands, and enjoyed his kiss.  
"The stroll with you wins, darling."   
"Beautiful." Ben muttered into Martin's neck.

 

They slipped both into their shoes and into a jacket, befor they left the house.   
Martin was still standing at the door, he turned his head to Ben.  
"Do you have a key, sugar nut?" Martin asked gently.  
Benedict turned around again; he nodded and smiled.  
"Yes, I have the key in my pocket, sweetheart." He patted his right jacket pocket.  
Martin smiled with a nod; he closed the door, and came to Ben, who already stretched out his hand. They entwined their fingers.  
"Same way as always?" Ben smiled, and Martin nodded.

The two men strolled down the road, crossed the road at some point, walked to the other side, and then they walked across the gravel path - along the fields to the forest.   
The sun shone from the sky, one could see a few white clouds.  
The path crunched under their shoes.   
They walked to the forest, greeted a jogger, and they talked briefly with an elderly lady, who was walking was her dog - they had met each other a few times, during their strolls.

Their way led them into the forest.  
"It's warmer than I thought." Martin smiled.  
"Yes." Ben said, and opened his jacket with one hand. "Last year on the Christmas market, this weather would have been great."  
"Yeah, you're right. That would have been great. I was really upset with the weather, but you have been a real gentleman. You've offered me, to drive me back to Potters Bar, otherwise our ways had split at the tube station." Martin smiled, and squeezed Benedict's hand.  
"Hmh, shitty weather - I was mad about it, too. Finally, it wasn't logical to give you a ride home. It's an hour to Potters Bar and an hour back home, but, well, it was a way to spend a bit more time with you." Ben smiled.  
Martin smiled.  
"Hhm, it was nonsense. But in the end, if you haven't offered me a ride home, we wouldn't walk here right now, at least not while holding hands." Martin smiled, and squeezed Ben's hand lovingly.  
Benedict smiled.

They strolled through the forest, and after a few a few meters Benedict turned his head to Martin.  
"Would you have never told me that?" Benedict asked gently.  
"That I fell in love with you?" Martin smiled. He bowed his head. "I think, I wouldn't have told you that. Ben, you're really important to me, and I was to afraid of losing you, so I decided to better be your friend, than nothing. Maybe I would have told you that some day, in the future - with grey hair a thick belly, wuite old and with a lot of wrinkled, when I would have been over you, maybe with a woman at my side. Maybe then, I would have told you, that there was a time, when I had been madly in love with you. And you would have told me, that you had been in love with me, too - I would have been heart broken. And I would have regretted it so much - that I have missed you as a partner in my life. Would you have said anything to me? " Martin asked. 

Ben looked at him and shrugged his shoulders.  
"I don't think so. Just the thought of telling you that I'm deeply in love with you, had made me too nervous. I think it would have been like you described it. At some point we would have sat together, we would have talked about the good old times, and then we would have told each other, that we have been in love. And I would have apologized, that I hadn't made the first step. I'm glad, thatthis will never happen in the future." Ben said softly.

Martin watched him lovingly.  
"Yeah, I'm glad it will never happen." Martin smiled, and put his arms around Benedict's body. "And this year, we will have a proper date at the Christmas market." He winked gently.  
"Was that an invitation?" Ben smiled.  
"Yes, it was; as soon as the Christmas markets opened, I invite you to a date at the Christmas market." Martin smiled gently, raised his hands and put them on Benedict's cheeks - his thumbs stroked across the stubble.

Ben smiled down to Martin; he shoved his hands in his butt pockets.   
Martin put his hands in Benedict's hair, and he pushed him gently down; his teeth nibbled gently at Ben's lower lip, left them free again before he locked captured his lips.   
Martin pushed him closer; he enjoyed Ben's hand on his butt, and his tongue in his mouth - he returned the loving kiss.   
They broke their kiss slowly; Benedict nibbled gently on Martin's lower lip, and sucked it, before he released them again.  
He exchanged a brief and gentle kiss with Martin.  
"If I wouldn't need to breathe, I could kiss you all day long." Martin smiled.   
"Gills would be enough." Ben chuckled.  
"True,...but in that case, the nature had made a mistake." Martin grinned.  
"Well many years ago hunting and sex were more important than snogging in the forest." Ben grinned.  
"Yeah, but at some point it wasn't dangerous anymore." Martin chuckled with Ben.

They broke apart again.  
Martin ran his hand through his hair, and the he took Ben's hand again.  
They turned around and strolled towards the fields again.  
Benedict had his hands in his pockets; Martin walked beside him, over the leaf ground in the forest.  
The trees were almost bare, the leaves had settled on the forest floor, one couldn't the the path any longer. The leaves rustled while they were walking over them.  
Martin swept with his feet through the leaves.  
Ben grinned to him over,  
"You're still a little boy."  
"Come on, you're still a little boy as well. Or which of us is always kicking the pebbles." Martin smirked.  
"I haven't done it today." Ben grinned.  
"Yes, because the path is full of leaves, Benny." Martin still smirked.  
Ben grinned. He took the hands out of his pockets, bent down, picked up a big amount of leaves and grinned to Martin.  
"Ben?" Martin asked confused.   
And before he could realize what Ben was up to, he had all the leaves in his face - and he could hear the deep laugh of Ben, who was running away.

Martin rubbed across his face, and ran after Benedict.  
"Wait, you fucking bastard!" Martin laughed.  
Just before he outran Benedict, he picked up a big amount of leaves from the ground; and he threw it Bens direction, who defensively held his hands in front of the face - he was laughing.   
Martin laughed as well. He wanted to bend down again, but Benedict grabbed his jacket.  
"Let me go, you git." Martin laughed, and jostled with him.  
Benedict still grabbed his jacket, he laughed and jostled with him.  
Martin had grabbed his jacket, they jostled, and laughed, and gasped . and Martin finally managed it to push Ben into a huge pile of leaves. He knelt over him, sat down on his lap and bent down to Benedict. He grinned broadly and raised an eyebrow.   
Benedict grinned up; he lay in the piles of leaves with reddened cheeks from the fight.   
"Yo twat, it's wet!" Ben laughed.  
"Really? I can't feel anything." Martin grinned.  
"But I can feel it, especially at my butt." laughed Ben. "Come on, get off of me, my jeans is wet." He grinned.  
"I can't hear you." Martin smirked, and pushed Ben more into the pile of leaves.  
Benedict still grinned, he tried to get rid of Martin, but he couldn't manage it.  
"Martin, you small horrible naughty man!"  
"Oh, it's great, that I can't hear you." Martin laughed, and looked into the amused face of Benedict. 

Martin was still sitting on Benedict's lap: he leaned down, and wobbled triumphantly with the eyebrows.   
Benedict grinned up; he picked up some leaves next to him.   
Martin turned his head to the side. He didn't want to get the leaves directly in the face.   
However Benedict had intended something else. Ben pushed the leaves into Martin's jumper at the neck.  
Martin circled his shoulders and shivered.  
"Baaah... " Martin grimaced.  
Benedict grinned innocently; stretched his head upwards and breathed a kiss on Martin's reddened cheeks.  
"Whoops, I've probably missed your face." He muttered against Martin's cheek.  
Benedict's left hand wandered to Martins trousers and he pulled them slightly away from his body. His right hand pushed leaves into Martin's boxer brief.  
"Benedict!" Martin jumped up, and shivered "Sometimes I hate you!" With an disgusting look, he eyed Ben.  
"Really?" Ben grinned, and sat up.  
"No." Martin said sheepishly, and with a smile.  
He wiped his hand across his neck and his butt - but a lot of leaves were already in his jumper, and in his boxer brief.   
If they were back home, they would probably have a forest in their bathroom.  
Martin looked back to Benedict, and bowed his head.  
"I love you Ben,... and sometimes,...sometimes I love you a little more." Martin smiled, and stretched his hand out to Benedict.  
Benedict smiled lovingly, and took the help of Martin.  
"Thank you" Ben smiled with his deep and soft voice.  
Martin nodded with warm eyes.

"Shall I you free from the leaves, Martin?"  
Martin's eyes still looked warmly at him. His smile became a grin.  
"No! You don't bury your hands in my jeans and underpants right now. It's too much going on here."  
"A shame, it would have been a great headline." Ben grinned.  
"Let's go." Martin grinned. "And would you be so kind to walk a bit faster, I want to get rid of these rough and wet leaves." Martin smirked.

Benedict grinned; he puts an arm around Martin's shoulder; he pressed him a loving kiss into the almost grey hair, before they walk back home.


	89. Halloween

Martin stopped next to Benedict, who took the key out his pocket and unlocked the door.   
Martin looked at his watch, and follwed Benedict into the house; he closed the door behind him.  
"We should get ready for tonight; Matt will come shortly before 5 o'clock." Martin said.  
Benedict hung his jacket on a peg, and stretched his hand out to Martin, who handed him his jacket.  
"Yes, we should do that." Ben smiled, and hung up Martin's jacket.  
"Thank you, honey. I'll go the shower anyway, it's a strange feeling, with the leaves in my shorts." Martin smirked, and slipped out of his shoes.  
"Where have you been strolling around?!" Benedict chuckled, and tousled through Martin's hair.  
"I just ignore it." Martin grinned. "And ask you instead whether you would like to take a shower with me." Martin smiled gently.  
His finger fumbled at Benedict's sweater, and he looked him deep into his eyes.   
Ben smiled, ran his finger this time gently through Martin's hair.  
"I would love to, Martin."  
Martin smiled up to him; he winked, and took Benedict's hand, and walked with him upstairs to the bathroom.

When they reached the bathroom, Martin squeezed gently Ben's hand; he turned around to him, stretched upwards and placed a loving kiss on Benedict's lips. Ben closed his eyes enjoyable, and purred when Martin let go his hand and scratched softly across his back.  
As Benedict opened his eyes again, Martin was busy with his own belt. Ben smiled to him, and he began to undress. While he was pushing down his shorts, he heard a mumble from Martin.   
Benedict turned his head to Martin, who was already naked; he had the shorts in his hand.   
Some leaves and other dirt lay in front of Martin on the ground.  
"Why are you making our bathroom dirty." Ben grinned, and looked after Martin, who threw his shorts in the laundry basket.  
"Because I wanted, that you clean up the bathroom." Martin grinned with wobbling eyebrows.  
"I have no time today." Ben grinned broadly.  
"Do you think that will stay here until tomorrow?" Martin grinned, and put his and Bens jeans into the laundry basket as well - they were dirty from the fooling around in the forest."  
"You have more time than I have." Ben chuckled, and went into the shower  
Martin tapped with his forefinge finger at his head.  
"Are you mad? You will have more time than I, you just need to dress." Martin looked at him, and walked to him.  
"But I need to put on much more than you." Ben grinned, and pulled Martin into the shower.  
"Shut up now, Cumberbatch, and clean the bathroom after the showering.!" Martin grinned.

He laid his hands on Benedict's cheeks, pulled him down and involved him into a passionate kiss, so he would stopp to discuss.  
Benedict closed hhis eyes; he wrapped his arms around his partner, and replied the kiss after a few seconds.   
The hot water drolled down, made their bodies and hair wet, and washed out the dirt.   
Benedict's hands stroked along Martins back; Martin's hands ran into Ben's wet hair.   
As Martin wanted to broke apart, Benedict followed him; he leaned more down to Martin and stole an another french kiss from him. His hands ran down to Martin's shoulder blades.   
Martin sighed into the kiss, let his hand rest in Benedict's hair, the other caressed to its neck - the finger crawled the hairline.  
They broke the kiss breathlessly, took a deep breath and looked one another deep into the eyes. 

Martin shiverd pleasantly; he smiled and placed a gentle kiss on Benedict's Adam's Apple.  
Ben purred, and massaged Martin's shoulders briefly, before he took the shower gel. He pressed it into his hand, put it back and pulled Martin out of the drooling water.   
Martin looked questioningly, but he sighed in piure relish, when Benedict buried his hands in his hair. He closed his eyes, and purred again when Benedict rubbed the gel throuh his hair, along his neck and shoulders.  
"When we're in a hurry, we shouldn't shower together. We can't let our hands off of each other." Martin purre with his warm voice, while Ben's hands, rubbed the gel along his back, along his arms, over his belly, down to Martins hips and butt and penis.  
Martin sighed again; he absolutely enjoyed the caresses. 

He liked it to be touched by Ben, no matter at which point of his body, whether it was his hair, his neck, his arms or his hands; whether it was his belly or his back, or his legs, his but or his penis. No matter what Ben was hoping he would get if he caressed Martin like that - if it was just for cuddling and exchanging tenderness and caresses, or if he wanted to have sex.   
These caresses weren't about sex, it was about making him feel good and loved, with soft and tender caresses. And he enjoyed it immensely.  
"Honey... ?" Ben's deep voice muttered.  
"Hmhh?" Martin murmured.  
"I put you back under the shower."  
"Okay." Martin smiled, and then he could feel the hot water again.   
Martin ran his hand through his hair, rubbed across his face and opened his eyes again. He looked to Benedict, and stopped his hand, by grabbing his wrist.   
"No. I will do it for you. It's your turn now, love." Martin smiled, and grabbed the shower gel.  
Ben smiled, and already closed his eyes in anticipation.

After the shower, Ben cleaned up the öeaves and dirt from the forest, before he went into the bedroom with Martin.   
Benedict took one of his suits out of the dressing room, while Martin slipped in shorts and socks.   
Benedict put his stuff onto the bed; he pulled the T-shirt over his head, and then he slipped into the grey suit pants.   
Martin next to him put on a white undershirt and a white sweater with buttons.  
"You could've just stayed at home, honey. That would have been the perfect costume as the ' invisible man'. I just would have pretended that you're with me." Martin grinned, and slipped into his white jeans.  
Benedict looked at him and laughed.  
"Yeah, but I'm a bit afraid thatthey will call a psychiatrist who carry you away into the closed institution and gave you a straitjacket. If you claim you can see people who aren't there, this will happen, Martin."  
"I've imagined quite other things, like wargs and other fucking shit..." Martin laughed; he went into the dressing room and looked for white braces.  
Benedict laughed and looked after him, he buttoned up his button up shirt.  
"That was professional with cameras. It's different tonight, I will join you, to make your you came home safely again." Benedict grinned to Martin, who came out of the dressing room again and clicked the braces on the pants.  
"You're probably right." Martin grinned.  
Benedict chuckled and nodded.

Martin smirked broadly to Benedict.  
"The question is, whether I took the right person with me, when I'm not able to see your face. Maybe I willl take another man home with me." Martin raised his eyebrow with a grin.  
"If you want to get rid of me, you can just take someone else home with you." Benedict grinned.  
Martin's eyes lit up.  
"Oh god, that's a great idea! That is awesome; so if there are a few people with this costume, I can just take someone home I like."  
"Or you're taking someone completely different." Ben grinned.  
Benedict pulled Martin on his suspenders closer, leaned down to press a kiss on his lips and smiled gently,  
"Will you help me in the bathroom?"  
"Yes, I'm done here, honey." Martin smiled.  
Ben slowly let go Martins braces, who stroked nudged his nose with the forefinger. 

They went to the bathroom again.  
Benedict sat down on the edge of the tub and Martin took the white gauze bandages.  
"If it's too tight, you need to say something, love." Martin smiled.  
Benedict nodded to him and Martin started to wrap his head.   
Ben kept quiet the whole time; he neither complained about a too tight bandage, nor about it not being able to breath any longer.   
Martin had let holes for the mouth and eyes, like it had looked like in the video, they had watched this morning.   
Martin took Benedict's face at the end carefully in both hands; he grinned now widely and shook his head in amusement.   
Benedict was completely wrapped with the bandages, one could just see these incredible eyes and his lovely shaped mouth.  
Later he would also wear sunglasses and a hat.   
"We can do that more often. I like it. " Martin grinned provocatively, with a raised eyebrow.  
Benedict sparkled with evil eyes, but his lips moved into a smile  
"I can't put into words, what I think about you. There is no expression and also not a dirty word, which would describe your evil and horrible and rude personality."  
Martin grinned lovingly; he pressed Benedict a kiss on the wrapped forehead.   
Benedict's eyes still sparkled angry.  
"Actually, I wanted to make you a compliment." Ben hummed.  
"Benny, come on. You know how much I love you." Martin smiled gently. "I would love to hear the compliment." Martin still smiled gently, and pressed Benedict a second kiss on the wrapped forehead.  
"I don't know whether you've earned that." Ben said, and pinched Martin's little tummy. "My cute fat one." He grinned softly.

Martin grinned and winked; and he buttoned up Ben's shirt again, at least the two buttons on the neck.   
Ben looked up to Martin, stroked its little tummy, and then his butt.  
"I wanted to tell you, that you look damn hot in these tight and white pants." Ben winked.  
Martin smiled and closed the last button; he leaned down to Benedict and kissed his lips very tenderly.  
"Thank you for the compliment. I don't see much of you anymore, my invisible friend. But you know, how much I love it to see you in a suit." Martin winked.  
Benedict smiled and stroked acorss Martin's butt again.

The two men got ready.  
Benedict tied his tie and put on his jacket, while Martin make himself up - his right eye, black, like Amanda had showed it him a few days ago. He styled even his hair, even though he would wear a black hat. Ben hadn't understand it, but Martin had banished him out of the bathroom with the comment, that he maybe would put the head off later.   
The last thing they did, was slipping in their shoes and putting on their heads.  
Benedict slipped into a black light coat.   
Martin took his cane; he would go as Alex from the film A Clockwork Orange.

 

When they arrived in London, at Jonathan Ross's house it was already dark, and some cars and celebreties and photographers were already there.   
They had shared a car with Simon, Maureen and Amanda.  
Simon was dressed as a devil - very suitable; Martin thought. Simon's face was covered in red, even the neck and a piece of his chest and hands. His fingernails were painted black, and he seemed to have coloured his hair balck as well - it was slicked back. He wore red contact lenses and two horns were pasted on his forehead. He was dressed in black.   
Amanda was dressed up with an old and black dress, a had a cane and a white face, blood run down her nose.   
Maureen, was dressed with a yellow dress, yellow pants and shoes, even the face was yellow. She was wearing a blue wig, and a lot of blood was running down her mouth. On the dress was also a bit of blood.   
The five walked to the house, and posed also briefly for the photographers.

The estate of Jonathan Ross, who had dressed himself as Indiana Jones, was decorated, a band played music, there was enough food, drinks and it was incredibly full - like every year.  
Their paths had already separated.   
Simon and Maureen had gone lost on the way somewhere, Amanda had also stopped.   
Mark had stopped Martin and Benedict; he wore a striped bright suit, with a bright orange tie, a black wig, the face was painted white.  
Martin looked at him, eyed him completely.  
"Jesus,... Mark! This suit his fucking horrible! I can hardly look at you."   
"Thanks for the compliment, Martin. I don't wear him otherwise." Mark chuckled.  
"I fucking hope so! It's bad enough that he's hanging in your closet." Martin grinned.  
Mark grinned at him, and then he looked at Ben, who had one hand in the coat pocket, the other hadn was holding Martin's hand.  
"To be honest, I wouldn't have recognised you, Ben. I just know who you are, because you two are holding hands. Now from the near, it's better."  
"Yes, I need to take care of Martin tonight, I mentioned that he could just take someone else home, if he no longer recognises me or wants to get rid of me. " Ben grinned.  
Mark laughed and patted on Benedict's shoulder.  
"Then pay attention, I saw two others, which are intended to represent the same thing. But yours is by far the best costume of you three."  
"Where did you leave your husband? Already lost him?" Ben grinned.  
"Yeeeessss, a while ago. He wore a blue superhero costume with a hood and his face looks like a skeleton." Mark chuckled.  
"At some point we will see him" Martin knocked with the cane against Marks chest.  
"If you lose your hubby, we just exchange partners." Mark laughed with Martin, who knocked again against Mark's chest.  
"Let's see how drunk I am later, and then we will see which of all these men I take home with me."

The pair further mingling with the crowd, they celebrated with the others, they talked and ate and drank and danced.   
The photographer had taken a lot of pictures, but after a while they had left the party.   
The band still play music, and the the songs got creepier and creepier which each passing hour.   
Martin and Benedict had celebrated together, but at some point thei ways had split - they had found each other again by accident, had shared some food and a drink and a kiss, before they ways had split again.

It was after midnight - pretty much after midnight.  
Martin had eaten quite a lot and he had drunk as much as he had eat - he was a bit drunk. For him it was enough now; he wasn't tired or exhausted or too drunk, it was just the amount of people - and now it was enough for him.   
He ran to a group of costumed people, who spoke with each other, and held glasses and bottles in their hands.   
Martin tapped that person on the upper arm, who didn't speak but listened. The man turned his head to him, looked down with a smile. Martin smiled lovingly.  
"I decided who I want to take with me tonight." Martin smiled.  
"And who is it?" Benedict asked with a smile, and turned to his partner.  
"It's you,... because you have the key." Martin winked.  
"Is that the only reason why you're taking me?" Ben asked dubiously.   
"No,... it was just me fooling around. There are other reasons why it is you I want to take with me" Martin smiled, and stretched out his hand to Benedict. "Come on, Darling."  
Ben smiled, and took Martins hand. He totally agreed with Martin- it was enough for tonight.   
They said goodby to Jonathan and to Amanda and Mark; but they didn't search the others, some of them were already at home anyway.

The couple walked to the cars, who waited to drive the celebreties to the hotel or back home.   
Martin walked with Benedict to one of the cars; he gave the man a sign that they would got in immediately.   
He turned his head to Ben, grabbed his coat collart and pulled him softly down. He laid his cheek against Benedicts.  
"I didn't take you, because you have the key. I take you, because I know hwo hot and cute the man is, who his wrapped in all theses bandages. It's the man who can make me really angry and grumpy sometimes; it's the man which with I fight sometimes; it's the man which makes me laugh, even if I'm not in the mood for it; it's the man who loved me, and who love I." Martin whispered with a warm voice, and breathed a kiss on Ben wrapped ear "I'm taking you back home, because it feels more like home when you're there,... it's not home without you. I really don't need to pick another man. I already have the perfect one. You're the man, I want to live with in our house; at some day with you and with someone else, someone smaller than me. That's why I take you home with me."   
Martin breathed a second kiss on Benedict's ear, dissipated slowly, smiled at him with warm, loving eyes.   
Benedict returned his loving gaze. He was speechless, and just beamed madly.   
Martin winked, then opened the door for Benedict.  
"Let's go home, darling."

Benedict looked at him with loving and warm eyes, which sparkled, and which expressed much more than words could do at the moment.   
He got into the car with a beating heart.  
"Home. Potters Bar." Ben said to the driver.


	90. A strange doctor

Benedict was standing in the bathroom in front of the mirror. He had shaved, washed his face, put the utensils back, cleaned the sink and pulled his white T-Shirt over his head. After that he slipped into his white button up shirt; he buttoned it up, and stuck it with the t-shirt into his suit pants. He closed the button and the belt; he took the vest and slipped in.  
"Fuck!" Martin swore loudly. "Such a bloody shit." Martin still swore downstairs in the kitchen. "Fuck."  
Benedict smirked softly in the bathroom; he styled his hair.  
"What happened?" He yelled downstairs to Martin.  
"I spilled fuckin' tiramisu down my tie and shirt." Martin answered loudly. He looked down at his shirt and his tie, and tried to save shirt and tie with a cloth.  
"Why are you eating tiramisu now? We need to go in a few minutes." Benedict called with an irritated voice.  
"Hungry?" Martin answered again, and still wiped the cloth across his shirt and tie, but he made it worse. "Why aren't you ready, yet?" He yelled upstairs, and threw the cloth into the sink. He looked at his shirt and tie, he would need to change both. 

Martin left the kitchen.  
He walked along the corridor, loosened already the tie and started to unbutton the shirt.   
Benedict came down the stairs, but he was busy with his tie, while he walked through the hallway.  
The two men collided.  
"Hmphf" Ben hummed in surprise.  
Martin stumbled back, laid his hand on his chest.  
"Jesus!"   
He breathed out, looked up to Ben and eyed him. The blue tie was almost bound, he just needed to tighten it. The rest of the suit was dark blue, alsmost black; his vest was still open. Martin liked the suit very much.  
Ben smiled gently; he stretched his arm out and grabbed Martin's open shirt. He smiled gently when he saw the traces of the tiramisu.  
"I guess, there's more tiramisu on your shirt and tie, than you had eaten, honey." Benedict smiled.  
"Hmh, yeah, now I must find a new shirt and a tie. Why for fuck's sake are we we always in a hurry, when we need to go to a premiere, a ceremony, or another event?"  
"There are several reasons. Number one, we're needing to long in front of the mirror, especially you with your hair. Number two, we dawdle all day and lose the time. Number three, we can not decide what to wear. And number four, sometimes we are almost done, or even done, and then we can't let our hands from each other and have sex in the bathroom, in the bedroom, on the couch or in the armchair." Ben grinned.  
Martin grinned, rubbed gently across Benedict's chest, and winked.  
"You forgot the kitchen, Mr. Cumberbatch.“

They both grinned widely.  
Martin grabbed his vest and pulled him closer; he stretched upwards and breathed him a kiss on the lips.  
"I'm upstairs and change my shirt and tie. Matthew will be here every minute." Martin smiled, and kissed Bens cheek before he broke apart. He stroked across his belly, and then he hurried upstairs.  
Benedict smiled; he leaned backwards to look after Martin, to look how he ran up the stairs. He eyed his back view; he eyed the butt in the dark blue suit pants until Martin disappeared into the bedroom.  
"Nice butt." Ben called after him.  
Martin stretched his head out of the bedroom door; he winked.  
"You look fantastic, too."  
The head disappeared with a smile.  
Benedict walked with a smile into the kitchenran, he tightened the tie and buttoned up the vest.

Martin took a light blue fresh button up shirt to his dark blue suit, and he took a dark blue tie. He put the dirty things aside. He had no time to clean them now, he would try it tomorrow, and if it wouldn't work, he would bring them to the cleaners.  
Benedict cleaned up Martins spoon, and put the tiramisu in the fridge.   
Last night Martin's mother and her husband James had been here; they had cooked together. And Philomena had brought tiramusi, because she knew how much her son and Benedict loved it. They hadn't told them that they wanted to adopt a child; they wanted to read up about adoption, before they would tell it their families andfriends. But they had agreed, if some the family or friends ask directly, they would answer it.   
Benedict had been the last three days in the dubbing Studio until the evening, today he had just been there in the morning.   
Martin had enjoyed his days off; he had read a bit and had enjoeyed the evenings with Ben, and yesterday with Ben and Philomena and James.  
Tonight was the premiere of Dr. Strange.

Martin came back down the stairs.   
Benedict came out of the kitchen; he smiled to Martin and took his shoes.  
"Do you take a coat, Benny?" Martin asked, he was already wearig his shoes.  
"No." Ben smiled up, and slipped into the second shoe.  
"Okay, then we should be ready." Martin smiled, and looked at his watch. "Matthew should be here."  
Benedict stood up again; he stroked across Martin's upper arm, and pressed him a gentle kiss on the bearded cheek.  
"Then let us go, before we are really late." Ben smiled.  
Martin smiled up and nodded.  
They turn off the light and left the house.

Matthew was already there; he had waited since a while.  
Ben and Martin got into the car.   
Matt turned his head back and smiled.  
"Good evening."  
"Hello. Sorry. It was a bit hectic." Martin said, and buckled up.  
"I wanted to come to the door." Matthew smiled, and buckled up again. He had been about getting out of the car. "I thought I or maybe you have a wrong time in the head." Matthew smiled; he turned back and started the car.  
"No, everything is fine, Matt. There had just been a small tiramisu accident." Martin smiled, and leaned back comfortably as they drove off.  
Matthew grinned, and Benedict grinned out the window.  
They talked a bit during the ride to London. 

Finally they arrived - almost a quarter of an hour later.  
Benedict's parents, who were with them tonight, were already waiting at the red carpet for them.   
Benedict got out of the car on the side from the red carpet; he buttoned his jacket again. The fans welcomed him very loudly.   
Martin had been slipped through; he got out of the car, and buttoned his jacket as well. And he got the same loud welcome like Ben.   
They raised theri hands, and walked to Wanda and Timothy.  
"There you are." Wanda smiled, and hugged her son heartily, because Timothy already welcomed Martin warmly.  
"Hey, mum." Benedict hugged her gently. "Martin had been hungry, and hadn't been able to eat properly, he had needed to change." Ben smirked softly, and broke apaprt.  
Wanda grinned broadly and shook her head in amusment; and then she hugged Martin motherly, while Timothy hugged and greeted his son.

The fans still shouted Martins name and Benedicts named, and a lot of other names.   
Martin and Benedict went to the fans, while Martins parents-in-law walked in te middle of the red carpet and stopped with them every nwo and then.   
The couple wrote a lot of autographs; the mobile phone cameras and other cameras flashed continuously - they posed with the fans and made selfies.   
Like every premiere or awards it was incredibly loud; the fans were shouting as much as, the press, the journalists, the TV crews and the photographers.  
Martin rubbed briefly his cold hands; he walked across the red carpet, and stopped again. He smiled at the fans, and signed with a pen a few of the things, which they reached to him.   
He looked up again; the fans were beaming at him, took pictures, and one young woman winked at him.

Martin bowed his head with a grin.  
"Well, who's that? Oh right, it's Lisa." He grinned.  
Lisa grinned at him.  
"I told you, that I will be here, Martin."  
"Yes, I know. I didn't forget it, but here are so many people, Ben and I hadn't been sure, if we will see you." Martin smiled.   
"I would have been screamed loud enough. You two haven't really look after me, right?" She asked with a suprised voice.  
"Yes, we have." Martin smiled honestly. "You said you would be here. We have talked this morning during breakfast about it.“  
"I will get a heart attack some day - and it will be your fault." She said with an almost heart attack.  
Martin grinned; he rubbed his hands again, stroked across Lisa's jacket on the upper arm and gently squeezed her shoulder before he smiled at the other fans again.  
"You say here all the time, aren't you all freezing?" He asked with a smile.  
The bystanders answered him; they would wear enough warm clothes, and it would be worth to freeze a bit.  
Lisa eyed him and pointed to his suit.  
"I think, you will freeze much more than we all together. You're just wearing your suit."  
"Yeah, totally right. It's fucking cold, and I'm freezing." He chuckled, and rubbed his hands again. He turned his head to the side, when Ben stopped next to him.

Ben smiled down to Martin, and put his left arm around Martin's back.   
Martin smiled up, put his right arm around Benedict's back - previously he had caressed his butt softly for a few seconds. He snuggled a bit against Ben, against his warm side, against his warm body.   
Ben winked gently at him. He looked to the fans and discovered Lisa.  
"Ah, hey. Lisa. This morning we have talked about you." He smiled.  
"Hey. Yes, Martin has already told me that." She smiled at him.  
"She didn't want to believe me. Thanks for confirming it, honey." Martin grinned;   
Ben grinned as well.   
"Good to see you, Lisa." Ben smiled at her.  
She smiled back and nodded. 

They took photos with Lisa and a few other fans who were standing next to her.  
Martin patted Lisa's shoulder again and winked,  
"I'm sure we will see us again,... and say hi to Daddy" He grinned cheekily at the end.  
Lisa looked at him with red cheeks.  
"It wasn't necessary to mention him now. That was so embarrassing! " She smiled with red cheeks.   
"He can't be nice and cute; he needs to be sassy all day long." Ben winked, and raised his hand again, before he walked away with Martin.

The two men were stopped by a TV crew.   
Martin looked up to Ben; he loosened his arm, and rubbed across Ben's back.   
"Go alone, love. I go to your parents, then you can do the interviews." Martin smiled gently.  
"No desire for questions today?" Ben smiled.  
"This is your night, darling. If they ask what I think about you and Dr. Strange, you can tell them that I am fucking proud of my boyfriend, and that I'm looking forward to see him as Dr. Strange in a bit. And that I love him really much." He smiled up lovingly; his eyes sparkled with pride and love. "Go now, honey. They wait for you."  
Benedict smiled gently; his eyes sparkled to Martin. He ranhis hand across Martin's back; he bent down, and gave his temple a small kiss; then he winked and went to the iterviewer.

Martin walked to his parents in-laws.   
Tim smiled at him, squeezed his shoulder paternally.   
"Are you skive off?" Timothy smiled.  
"Yes. I'm saving myself and join you two." He chuckled with a broad smile, and Tim smiled broadly as well.   
"I'm sure they would have loved to know, if you like it that Ben is Dr. Strange." Wanda smirked.  
"It's obviously, isn't it? Ben is my partner. Of course I am happy that he plays the main role. I like him very much as an actor and appreciate him, and I have said it very often in other interviews, and it hadn't changed since we're together. Well, it has changed, I support him even more." Martin smiled.  
"Actually we hadn't wanted that he become and actor, he should do something else." Timothy smirked.  
Martin smiled up and nodded.  
"Yes, he had told me that. I think it's very good that he hadn't heard, otherwise I would have probably never met him. And looking back on the last few years, I need to say that this would be a real pity."  
"And we have now a really lovely son-in-law." Wanda smiled.  
Martin smiled thankfully. He walked with them, in the same pace, like Ben walked alongthe journalists.  
"And I got great parents-in-law. I'm very glad, that you two will come to the theatre with Ben in two weeks." Martin smiled to Wanda and Timothy.  
"We really look forward. Martin. Ben has raved very much. Your family was already there, right?" Tim asked with a wide smile.  
"Yes, my mother, James, Tim and Jamie with their families; they had been at the premiere, and Benedict and Laura had been there on another weekend."  
"Then it is about time for us." Wanda said gently to Martin.

Benedict had completed the interviews, now he also joined his parents and Martin.   
Before they would go into the cinema, they would made the official photographers happy.   
Benedict shoved his hand in Martins, smiled at him gently.   
Martin smiled up and squeezed the hand of his partner, and he stroked gently across his belly.   
They walked to the photographers; Wanda and Timothy already entered the cinema.

Martin and Benedict stood in front of all the photographers; they were holding hands.  
It was dark outside; lights lit up the way, and the remaining light came from the photographers, which screamed in which in which direction they should look; and they photographed without a break.  
Benedict smiled into the cameras; he pressed Martin's hand affectionately,and stroked with the thumb gently back and forth.  
"You've really cold fingers, sweetheart." Benedict said, while they got photographed.  
"Not only my fingers are cold." Martin said, and smiled for the photographers.  
Benedict turned his head to him; he grinned widely - Martin turned his head to him, and got infected by his grin.  
"Not what you think! Don't get me wrong." Martin laughed, and walked with him a little further, before he stopped again for the photographers.  
"Since when are you a clairvoyant?" Ben grinned into the cameras.  
"I know this look, Benny, and I know your cheeky and boyish grin. I know exactly that there is something in your head that isn't good for under-age persons." He grinned, while he was looking to the photographers.

Martin released his hand from Bens, put it on Ben's back - he cuddled against his side and smiled into the flashing cameras. 

After the photographers, they entered the cinema.


	91. Armchair

Loud music.   
Male and female voices in different pitches and volumes. Some were talking louder, other leaned closer to each other - so that they were able to talk properly with each other - and some of them remained silent. Some were sitting at their tables, some of them were standing around, others were dancing, and some of them were just at the bar.  
They all laughed, talked, drank, ate and danced.   
The Aftershow Party of the premiere of Dr. Strange was in full swing.

Benedict stood slightly away from the action with his new Gin Tonic. He was holding his glass in one hand, and the other stuck loosely in his suit panst. He was just looking around, watched the others and drank in peace his Gin Tonic.  
He sipped at his glass again. 

A small, almost completely gray haired man with a beard, a dark blue suit, a light blue shirt and a tie came to Benedict. He was holding his wine glass, which was almost empty. He smiled with warm and proud eyes to Ben, and he said nothing when he stopped next to him - he just lay his free hand on Benedict's back, and looked to the crowd like Ben.   
Benedict turned his head briefly to Martin, and eyed him with soft eyes and a warm smile. Martins relaxed posture, the warm smile on his face, the sipping on the wine, and his tongue, which licked across his lips afterwards, let Benedict's heart beat faster, let his stomach tingle.   
Martin turned his head to Ben, he had noticed his look. He looked up into Benedicts eyes, winked charmingly and rubbed his hand across Benedict's lower back. And then Martins head turned back, so that he was able to watch the people again.   
Ben smiled, turned his head back again; he enjoyed it, that Martin knew him so well, that he knew that he didn't want to talk at the moment.

Martin sipped at his wine again; his thumb stroked across Benedict's back. He knew Benedict didn't want to talk now. They understood without words, partly almost blind. Sometimes it was a little scary. Especially when they cook together - they didn't need to communitcate during cooking, it worked totally withouts words and in harmony. It was a bit scary that they knew each other so well, but on the other hand, Martin totally loved it - he loved it, that they knew each other so well, and that they harmonized that good; during their friendship, during their relationship, during dancing, and sex and all the other daily life things.  
He turned his head back Benedict, who turned his head at the same time to Martin.

They smiled lovingly at each other.  
They looked each other deep into the eyes. Unconditional love, trust and pride.

They turned to each other, and Benedict bent down to Martin. One hand was still in his suit pants, the other one hold still his Gin Tonic.   
Martin slowly closed his eyes; his hand caressed to Ben's stomach and slid between the jacket and the vest.   
Martin sighed and pressed the hand against Ben's back, when he felt his lips - he returned his kiss tenderly.  
Their lips were parted; they moved gently and carefully with each other.   
Martin sighed again, when Benedict's tongue licked across his lower lip - he parted his lips even more, and he forgot all the other people. He was able to taste Bens Gin Tonic, when their tongues danced gently witheach other.   
Martins hand was clawing at Ben's vest; he enjoyed the intimate kiss with Benedict.  
Their tongues danced softly with each other; they explored each other tenderly, as if it would be the first time.   
Martins heart pounded loudly against his chest, and the butterflies in his belly were really busy; his lips tingled.  
Martins tongue licked across Ben's lips, his teeth nibbled at Ben's lips, and he sucked softly and slowly at his lips.   
Before they broke their kiss, Martin moaned softly against Ben's lips.

Benedict could still feel Martin's lips and tongue and teeth on his, and he could still taste the wine. His heart beat happily in his chest; his eyes sparkled down to Martin, who licked across his own lips with relish.

Someone cleared his throat a bit louder.  
Their turned their heads to the source of the noise.  
Wanda and Timothy stood beside them, they smiled and grinned.  
Benedict looked at them with big eyes. The hand went out of his pocket - he ran the hand through his hair; he was embarrassed.  
"How long are you already standing there?" Ben asked.  
Martin cleared his throat; he looked to Benedict's parents.  
"What are you hoping for?" Timothy asked amused.  
"Since your cough?" Benedict asked hopefully.  
"I need to dissapoint you, my son. We have seen the whole kiss." He chuckled.

Martin's blushed; and he ran his hand through his hair and rubbed his neck - he was embarrassed as well. They had kissed in front of Timothy and Wanda as well as in front of James and Philomena. Little kisses - on the forehead, the cheek, the temple, a little loving kiss on the lips. On the closed lips. But this now had been something else - a french kiss, with moaning, sighing, and lip licking and lip biting and lip sucking.  
"That was rather a snog... " Martin muttered.  
Wanda smiled to him.  
"We all have snogged at some point of our lives. I hope that you're doing more in your relationship than snogging. You two are already red, and it was just snogging."  
"Okaaaay, mum. Um, what are you doing here?" Benedict asked fastly.  
Timothy grinned; he looked at Martin and Ben, and their red cheeks.  
Wanda answered.  
"We wanted to say goodbye, we're going home now. It's enough for us."  
Martin looked to Wanda; he smiled with still red cheeks; he made a step forward,and hugged her.  
"It was great to see you, Wanda. And I'm looking forward to the 18th, when we see us in the theatre." He said softly.  
Wanda smiled and stroked his back.  
"It was also good to see you, Martin. Have a nice evening, and I'm happy when I will see you in your Play, my dear." She smiled motherly.

Timothy hugged Benedict, who hugged him with his free arm.  
"The movie was great, my son, and I'm really proud of you. I wish you two a nice evening." He smiled, and hugged him again tightly before he broke apart.  
"Thank you, dad. It was great to see you two." He smiled, and squeezed his shoulder.

They changed the partners.   
Benedict stood now in front of his mother; he hugged her and kissed her cheek, and he got one form her.  
"It's always nice to see you two. And you were great in the movie, darling."  
"We have been happy to see you, too. And in two weeks, we meet again. And,... thanks, mum." He hugged her again, and gaver her a second kiss.

Timothy hugged Martin shortly and patted his back fatherly  
Martin hugged him back and squeezed his shoulder.  
"I will see you in two weeks. I can hardly wait. If it is only half as good as Richard III, than it will be already amazing. I'm sure you're really great in your new play,... as always, Martin." He smiled fatherly.  
"Thanks Tim. I'm really happy that you will be there in two weeks."

The four smiled again at each other; they raised their hands again, and then Wanda and Timothy disappeared in the crowd.

Martin looked at his wine glass; he gulped the rest down.  
Benedict gulped down his Gin Tonic.   
Martin looked up to him.  
"That was really embarrassing! Really, really embarrassing. I don't give a shit if some of the other see me making out with you here in this dark corner, but your parents,... that's another thing." Martin said, licked his lips, and let his hand run through his hair.  
"The worsest bit was my mother's statement, that she hopes that we have lot of sex. The snogging was harmless in context to that statement." Ben said.  
"No, I don't know. I mean, it's clear that we have sex; they know it, my parents know it, our friends, and colleagues and fans know it. They haven't seen us during sex, and I hope that this will never happen. The worst bit was: me licking and sucking your lips, and nibbling at your lip, and my moans and sighes and that I licked my lips in pure relish after that kiss. They had heard and seen how much I had enjoyed the snogging of their son."  
Benedict listened to his words; he needed to chuckle and wrapped his arm around Martin.  
"Why are you that loud during my kiss?" Ben asked amused.  
"Idiot! Probably because I very enjoy your kisses. You're able to turn me on massively with just your kisses." He muttered quietly.  
Benedict smirked and smiled and raised an eyebrow.   
Martin looked to him, he eyed Ben, and his empty glass, and he licked his lips again.  
"Ben, can we go?" Martin breathed.  
Benedict smiled and nodded; he took Martin's hand, led him through the crowd to the exit.  
They put their glasses on one of the bar tables.

They walk back to Matthews car, who would bring them back to Potters Bar.  
On their way back to Potters Bar, no one talked.  
Matthew was listening to the music, which came out of the radio; he had behaved discretely, and he hadn't wanted to disturb, but sometimes he had needed to look into the mirrors, and then he had seen them snogging.   
He knew Martin almost as long as he worked as a chauffeur; he shared almost the same age with Martin, and he had driven him most of his times, more than any other actor. They knew each other since Martins role in The Office; and they had always been able to talk very easily with each other. It was always great to drive Martin, and since Martin had started to shoot for Sherlock, they called each other 'du'.

Martin had slipped much loser to Benedict, he was sitting in the middle of the back seat, and he almost sat on Ben's lap.  
They had begun to snog hardly after they had set off, and since then, they hadn't been able to stop the kissing and the touching.  
It didn't bother martin that Matthew was sitting on the front seat, he knew Matthew was absolutely discreet - here could happen much more, and Martin could be sure, that Matthew wouldn't say anything.  
When Matthew parked, Benedict and Martin broke apart.   
Benedict unbuckled himself, and said Good Night to Matthew before he got out. He also called him 'du'; he had offered it, after the first ride with Martin; it had been weird, that he had called Martin just Martin, and him Mr. Cumberbatch.   
Martin unbuckled, bent forwards and patted Matthew's shoulder.  
"Thank you. Get home safely, Matt." Martin smiled with swollen lips.  
Matthew grinned.  
"Yes, nor problem, you're welcome. I would have liked to give you more privacy, but I can't shield the driver's area in this car." He chuckled.  
Martin grinned.  
"It's fine. We have now privacy. Thank you, again. Yeah?... Not just for the ride back home." He smiled to Matt.  
"My eyes haven't seen anything, my ears haven't heard anything, Martin. Have a nice evening. We see us on Monday." He smiled amicably.  
"Yeah, see you, Matt." Martin smiled, and got out of the car.

 

Benedict and Martin walked to front door, they got in.  
Ben's lips were slightly rough and red and swollen from kissing, and form Martin's beard.   
They had snogged and they had made out the whole hour they had needed back to Potters Bar. And he was really happy that Matthew was disreet and absolutely trustworthy.  
They slipped out of their shoes and out of their jackets.  
Martins lips were as swollen and red as Ben's  
Their pupils were dilated.

Benedict looked to Martin, cupped his face, and gave him a hungry, intimate and passionate kiss.  
Martin groaned into the kiss, while they were toddling to the living room.  
Benedict broke his kiss; he breathed heavily; his hands ran to Martins neck, he loosened the tie and threw the tie aside. He pulled the shirt out of Martins trousers and unbuttoned it; his hands ran across Martins warm nacked skin, who purred and sighed woth pleasure.   
Now, Ben knew why Martin had frozen that much, he seemed to have forgotten to slipinto a new and fresh T-Shirt earlier when he had changed after his tiramisu accident.   
Benedict's hands caressed across Martin's upper body, upwards and downwards to the bell of the pants - he opened the belt and the button. He let the pants slip from Martin's hips, and his hands pushed Martin into the armchair, which stood behind Martin.  
He leaned down to Martin, who sat with the opened shirt, lowered pants, dilated pupils, and an open mouth in the armchair. 

Martin leaned his head back; he closed his eyes when he felt Benedict's lips on his neck. He groaned when Ben sucked his neck and when he slicked a wet trace to across his neck to his ear, along his neck again, to his Adam's Apple. Martin clawed his hands into the armrests of the armchair while Benedict knelt down in front of him. At the moment he caressed his nipples with excitement.   
"Ben. Oh God, don't stop that." Martin groaned, and rolled his eyes behind closed eyelids.   
He sighed and purred and moaned, and he enjoyed Benedict kisses on his heated body. The lips kissed further downwards.

Martin breathed heavily, he was aroused - the kissing and the making out in the car had turned him on massively.   
He raised his hips briefly, when Ben pushed his boxer briefs downwards.  
"Fuckfuckfuck... Ben. Hmmh, ooooh. Jesus, that's fantastic. " He groaned loudly, when Ben wrapped his lips around his throbbing cock.   
His cock disappeared into Ben's mouth, who sucked at it, whose teeth scratched softly downwards, whose tongue licked upwards again, and whoes tongue licked his tip with circles. He did it with much pleasure and relish, and he licked every now and then the precum away.   
Martin's hips thrusted upwards; he thrusted into Ben's mouth. He groaned, and he tried to get back his self control. He breathed heavily and clawed his hands now into Benedict's hair. He really tried to stay still, to let Ben lead this amazing blowjob.

Benedict knelt in front of him; he spread Martin's trembling legs with his hands; his fingertips stroked Martin's thigh; his tongue liked Martins whole length down, he licked across his balls, and his lips sucked at Martins balls.   
Martin moaned hoarsely; he ran his hands through Benedict's hair.   
Benedict's lips had begun to kiss his thigh. And Martin enjoeyed it really much.   
"Mmmmh.“  
Benedict's hands ran across Martin's naked thighs, gently over his knee and his shin bones; he could feel Martins goose bumps.  
"Hey,... why are you stopping." Martin muttered softly and breathlessly, when he could feel Benedict's hands, tongue and lips.  
Benedict lifted his head and smiled.  
"Just a moment, honey." He whispered with a deep voice, and opened his own pants, pushed them down a bit and ran his hand into his own shorts; he wrapped his fingers around his throbbing and leaking cock.  
Martin had opened his eyes; he looked down to his partner. Martin swallowed, when they looked at each other with pure lust and dilated pupils.  
"Too impatient?" Martin muttered.  
"Yeah,... too impatiently." Ben groaned roughly, when he moved his hand with pressure.  
"Hmh, that's hot." Martin whispered, and watched Benedict.

Benedict smiled softly; he stroked himself, and bent down again. His tongue licked across Martin's heated skin on the thights; he licked with his tongue across Martins erection, and across the tip.  
Martin groaned hoarsely. He enjoyed it massively, and he needed to hold himself back, to not thrust into Ben's wet and hot mouth. He watched Ben; he watched him, while he was giving him this awesome blowjob, and while he was stroking himself with pressure.   
Martin enjoyed it every time when Ben was moaning and groaning and purring; he enjoyed every vibration onhis cock. He tugged at Ben's hair.  
"Oh, my God. Ben. Fuck." Martin moaned loudly.

Ben was unbelievable skilled with his tongue and his teeth and his lips; he bit and licked and sucked.   
God, he loved Ben's blowjobs so much; Martin thought.  
Every lick across his length and his tip was just amazing, every nibbling, every sucking. And he still licked repeatedly the precum away.  
Ben moved his hand faster and with more pressure, he was totally turned on by Martins moaning, and he absolutely loved it to gave him blowjobs. He circled his tongue across Martin's tip, licked the precum away; he kissed the tip, and swallowed Martins cock slowly and teasingly down, until he reached his throat - and then his fingers from the free hand rubbed gently and teasingly across Martin's puckering hole.

Martin lost his self controal immediately; he reached his orgasm and moaned loudly. He closed his eyes, enjoyed the last gentle movements of Benedict's lips, the swallowing, and his forefinger, which was rubbing softly and gently and teasingly across his hole.  
When he relaxed totally, and his last wave of orgasm was gone, Ben broke apart slowly.   
Martin opened his eyes again; Ben was lookig at him, and he licked across his lips with pure relish - Martin shiverd. He watched Ben again, whose second hand disappeard into the boxer brief as well.  
Ben was stroking his twitching his cock and massaging his balls.  
"Martin." He moaned lustfully when he reached his orgasm. "Mmmmm. Martin."  
Benedict closed his eyes, tilted the had back - his mouth hung open, and he stroked himself through his orgasm, with Martins name on his lips, over and over again, loudly and quietly and silently.

Martin watched him during his orgasm. He smiled, and ran his hand softly through Ben's hair, who pressed his face into Martin's little tummy, when the last wave of his orgasm had been gone.  
Ben kissed the little tummy.  
"Mmmm Benny." Martin purred enjoyable, and tousled lovingly through Benedict hair. "Hmh, love,... if you haven't been that impatient... "  
"Oh, Martin, you can't believe, how fast you can turn me on again." Benedict whispered softly and hoarsely into Martin's tummy.  
"Well, Benny,... then let's start a second round. I would love to give the favour back and much more.“

He looked down to Benedict, pushed him gently away, stood up and pulled Ben up. He slipped out of his pants and shorts, slipped out the shirt and his socks, before he urged Benedict to the sofa. He pushed him down onto the couch.  
Benedict smiled up; he was still wearing the his white shirt, the vest, the tie; the pants hung in his knees, the dark shorts had a huge wet spot.

Martin raised gently an eyebrow; he crawled above Ben, bent down and kissed him passionately - and with that the second round began.


	92. Research

Two weeks had passed since the premiere of Dr. Strange.   
This evening, Benedict would visit the theatre play with his parents. And on the next Sunday, the Christmas time would start with the 1st advent - and on this day they were invited to a Christmas dinner with Simon and his family.   
Benedict could hardly believe how fast the time had passed.   
He stood in the kitchen, still his Pajama pants and a loosely T-Shirt; he cleaned up the remains of the breakfast, while Martin was in the living room - he put the laptop on the dining table in the living room. 

"Honey?" Bad asked with a gentle voice from the kitchen, and closed the fridge.  
"What's wrong, Benny?" Martin asked, while he supplied the laptop with power and switched him on.  
"Do oyu want another cup of tea?"   
"Oh, that would be great. The same tea as always, please." Martin said thankfully, and sat down on the chair inf front of the laptop.  
"Um, well,... your usual tea is,... well, you drank the last cup for breakfast. I forgot the tea, when I was in the supermarket yesterday." Benedict looked from the kitchen into the living room  
Martin raised his head, when he had typed the password; he bowed his head.  
"Have you left your head at home?" Martin asked, and raised an eyebrow.  
"Not the whole head,... just the buy tea for Martin area. I am sorry, sweetheart." Benedict smiled apologetically.  
"Together with the toast and bread area?" Martin smiled gently, the eyebrow still raised.   
Benedict grinned mischievously, scratching the back of the head.  
"Hmh,... my head hadn't worked that good yesterday,... but, look, you have had fresh buns from the baker this morning." Ben defended himself.  
"Sometimes you have a head like a sieve. Or just to get your hair cut." Martin grinned, and clicked on the Internet button; he lifted his head again and winked gently to Benedict. "Um, just suprise me, with another cup of tea; the kind doesn't matter, honey."  
Ben smiled to him.  
"Hmh. Okay,... I'm right with you." He smiled, and disappeared in the kitchen.

Martin grinned to himself, shook his head in disbelief and opened Google.   
Yesterday evening when he had come home from the theater, he had noticed the missing bread and the missing toast. Actually he had been hungry and he had wante to make a sandwich, but Benedict, who had been awake, had informed him that there was nothing one could use to make a sandwich, that he had completely forgotten to buy bread and toast. And then, he had soothed him down with chocolate. This morning, Martin had bought buns and croissants at the baker shop right around the corner, while Benedict had set the table and had made tea.   
Martin grinned even more. That was probably the reason why Benedict had insisted so much on making breakfast. It wasn't abaout Martin wearing clothes, is was about his shopping fault - that he hadn't just forgotten the bread and the toast, but also the tea. Probably Ben had hoped, that he said another kind of tea, and not the usual one.  
Martin smirked and shook his head amused. This man was incredible.  
In the search box of Google, he typed: Adoption UK.

Benedict had made another cup of tea; he came to Martin with the cup of tea and a cup of coffee. He put the the tea to Martin, breathed a gentle kiss on his head, stroked across his shoulder and sat down next to his partner with his coffee.  
Martin turned his head around, smiled, and put his hand on Benedict's pajama pants and rubbed gently over the thigh.  
"Thank you." He squeezed Benedict's thigh; He turned his head to the cup, smelled it and smiled "Oh, it's the Christmas tea, that was a great choice."  
"It's a little bit early... " Ben smiled.  
"Well, a week." Martin grinned. "Next Sunday is already the first advent. Um, the Christmas markets will open. On Wednesday, on the 30th, this month, we play just the perfomance in the afternoon. So I've a free evening. Would you like to go with me on Wednesday evening on the Christmas market? " Martin asked with a bowed head.  
"So, you mean the Wednesday after the Christmas dinner with Simon?" Ben asked.  
"Yes, exactly." Martin smiled.  
"I would love to go with you on Wednesday on the Christmas market." Benedict beamed lovingly.  
"We can meet there - like last year, Hyde Park Christmas market, 6 o'clock, and the same meeting point?" Martin's hand stroked gently across Benedict's thigh.  
"It sounds fantastic. 6 o'clock, Hyde Park." Ben smiled with beaming eyes.  
"Great." Martin winked, and stroked Benedict's thigh again.

Benedict smiled to him, and sipped at his coffee.   
Today was Friday, which meant, he would have to wait almost two weeks for the date with Martin. Again a date at the Christmas market. A real date, a proper date, and not one, who they are both insecure if it is a date or just a nce evening with a beloved friend - and to agree silently and shyly that it is one. A real date with Martin on the Christmas market. He could hardly wait.  
Benedict put his coffee mug down onto the table, put the arm around Martin's back, leaned more to his partner, and looked to the laptop.  
"Okay, darling,... what you have found?" Benedict asked gently, and breathed Martin a kiss on his temple.  
"Google seemed to have found something, I've just typed in 'Adoption'." Martin smiled, and read through the search results.   
Next to him, Benedict pointed to the first result.  
"Let's take the first one: Adoptionuk.org - I think we will found all the necessary infomation here, before we read trough a discussion board."  
Martin nodded, and clicked, waited for the site to load fully, and then he clicked on the word: adoption.

Under this topic, several articles were to find. Martin read the several article names with Ben.  
"Okay, Benny, do oyu want to read why one adopted a child?" Martin asked, and looked at him.  
"I think we both know why we want to adopt a child, let's start with another one, or do you want to read this?" Ben smiled.  
"No, I don't want to read it. As you said, it's clear why we want to adopt a child. So the second one... " Martin smiled, and turned his head back to the laptop and opened the second article. 

In the second article gave general information abot what it means to adopt a child and that it's possible that they have psychological disorders or anxiety because of bad experiences in their biologically family or foster family. Martin and Benedict read it, while Benedict's finger drew little circles on Martin's shoulder, who closed his eyes when he had finished the article. Martin enjoyed Benedict's caressing; adn he enjoed it that Benedict leaned his cheek against his temple.  
"Okay, I'm done. Can I ask you something?" Ben asked softly, and kissed Martin's temple with a breathy kiss.  
Martin opened his eyes again, turned his head to his partner, smiled, nodded and waited for Benedict's question.  
"James hasn't adopt you all, right?"  
"No he hasn't. Tim once told me that our father didn't want that, I can't remember it that good. I was too young when they got divorced. And then my father died,... I mean I was ten when he died, and I'm the youngest." Martin shrugged his shoulders. "Somehow the subject was off the table, because Benedict, Jamie and Tim and Laura were already older. James was always there for us and he still is. I think an adoption, hadn't changed that in this situation. You know what I mean. He wouldn't have loved or cared more or less, just because of an adoption. This was another situation. It's something else like a child which hasn't parents, or a child, which would grow up in unhealthy family relationships."

Benedict's finger drew gentle circles, he nodded and smiled, and he kissed Martin's temple really soft - he knew, he still missed his father very much.  
"Yes, I know what you mean. The situation has been different." he kissed the temple again. "Do you think we're able to do that?" Ben asked softly.   
"What? To show that we love it and that we are always there, if it needs us, no matter whether physically or emotionally? Ben, are you seriously worried about that?" Martin asked gently.  
"Otherwise I wouldn't have asked." Ben smiled insecurely.  
"Darling, come on. If you're just half as loving and caring as you are with me, than our child won't need to worry about lack of love and protection. I know for sure that you will be a great Dad." He smiled, and winked. "And I will do whatever it takes to be better than you." Martin grinned gently, and stroked across Benedict's cheek.   
Benedict smiled at first and then he needed to grin.  
"Stop with your grumpy habits and your swearing, and then you're a better dad than me." Benedict winked.  
"Then I will lose. I can't stop the... fucking... swaering." Martin grinned.  
"Thank God; I don't want to have a tame Martin." He grinned, and breathed a kiss on Martin's forehead; he patted his shoulder. "Let's continue, Marty."  
Martin smiled, and breathed Benedict a kiss on the cheek before he turned back to the laptop.  
He clicked on the next article, which explained the whole process of the adoption - the process to become parents.

Benedict and Martin were still sitting at the dining table.   
Benedict's arm was still on the backrest of Martins stool, and he caressed his thumb across Martin's shoulder and his collarbone. He leaned against Martin, especially his cheek.  
Martin's left hand lay on Benedict's thigh; the fingers caressed lost in thought across the pajama pants. The other hand lay on the table - the index finger scrolled and clicked through the site.  
They had read a lot of things: who was allowed to adopt, what other requirements were needed, they had watched videos, and the whole and long process of the adoption. 

Martin's hand rubbed across Benedict's thigh; he leaned back, rubbed his eyes, and turned his head to Ben.  
"Next year we should take care of all that - properly. Or, has the article changed your opinion of adopting a child with me?" Martin asked gently.  
"No,... I would still love to start all this next year with you." Benedict smiled affectionately.  
"That's great." Martin smiled, and turned more towards Benedict. "Then we should use the time until the new year to do some research, find an agency with which we feel good, and we should think about the age and all that, and we should think about who we want to take as referees - we need to name three people from our friends or family. And we should start it properly at the beginning of the new year, I'm here in the UK, but your projects are far away, and I think it would be good if we both available for the first appointments." Martin smiled lovingly, and rubbed Ben's thigh again.  
"Yes, that sounds like a good plan. Do you think we will be able to adopt?" Ben bowed his head and smiled.  
Martin looked at him, and smiled.  
"I'm not the adoption Committee, but I think we have good chances. Our income is more than good, we're both fit and healthy, there are no criminal things we've done - despite your tickets for fast driving." Martin grinned, and squeezed Ben's thigh, who grinned as well. "So we should make it to the second round. And look, it's all about how we live. We have a big house, Benny, with a garden, it's quiet, there is a kindergarten and school nearby, and playgrounds, an a good train connection to London and elsewhere. We have a good and close relationship to our familes, to our close friends, like Amanda and Simon, who live nearby as well. I think the only big critical thing is the time. The time we are able to spend with a child. But, I already have made a suggestion, for solving it a little bit. The question is, do you agree, love?"  
Benedict listened to him; he caressed across his cheek, and nodded at the end.  
"Yes... yes I agree. I have thought about it, and you're right about what you said. It's probably the best solution, and very logical solution."  
Martin smiled with beaming eyes; he raised his hand and ran it through Ben's hair.   
"So we agree, that I look for more theater roles, and projects in the UK, and in the dubbing studio, so that I don't travel so often to Australia or America or wherever?" Martin smiled affectionately.  
"Yes, we agree." Ben smiled.  
Martin smiled gently, and breathed a kiss on Ben's lips.

Benedict had closed his eyes. He smiled after the kiss.   
There was quiet a moment.   
Martin broke apart from Ben, who opened his eyes slowly and smiled at Martin with soft eyes.  
"Two of the three persons we need to name the agency shouldn't be related with us - we should take Simon for that. You guys know each other for nearly seventeen years, you know Matilda very well, she loves you really much, you have a really close relationship with her. And Simon is also a good friend of mine." Benedict smiled softly.   
"Simon sounds good, I think he would be a good choice and he will support us as well. I think Una would be great as the second person, Ben. She knows you since you're four years old; you grew up with her, and she knows me also since a while now and she knows how we work, as well as Simon. And I think she would be very happy, if she would be able to do her little boy and his partner a favour." Martin fumbled at Benedict's collar of the t-shirt.  
"Yeah, Una is a great choice. I think she will be on board for this. So what about the family person?" Benedict bowed his head.  
Martin still fumbled the collar of Ben's t-shirt; he shrugged his shoulders.  
"Good question."  
"How about your brother Jamie. He has two adult children. You're the uncle, you have a close relationship to your nieces and to Jamie and his family. I mean, ultimately it comes on to assess whether we would be good parents, and you have often be the babysitter for all your nieces and nephews. I think Jamie could judge better, if you would be a good daddy or not - more than your or my parents."  
"Oh, yeah, Jamie, okay, great. We should inform them about that, if someone don't want to do it. And we should also inform our parnets, before the start all this." Martin smiled, and looked up into Benedict's eyes.

Benedict nodded with a smile, pressed gently Martin's shoulder, caressed along his shoulder to his nape, and intohis hair. He leaned in.  
"It's great, that we are now a small step further." Ben mumbled against Martin's lips.  
Martin smiled; his eyes sparkled - he shivered pleasantly from Benedict's caresses.  
"It's exciting... "  
"Hmh, exciting." Ben smiled.

Martin beamed up to him, before he turned his head to the laptop and to the clock.  
"Okay love,... Matthew will pick me up in a few minutes. Do you need the laptop?" Martin asked softly.  
"Oh, yeah, you're having lunch with Gandalf today." Ben grinned, and then looked to the laptop. "Yes, I would answer a few mails."  
"Hmh, exactly, and I don't want to let him wait, unnecessarily." Martin smiled, and stood up. He pressed a soft Kiss into Benedict's hair, tousled trough the soft strands, and pressed again a kiss into them "I'm in bathroom, and pick up my stuff, and then I say goodbye." He stroked Ben' shoulder, circled the table and walked upstairs to the bathroom.

Benedict looked after him.  
He changed the seats and sat down in front of the laptop, and opened his e-mail account.   
Martin used the toilet. He went downstairs again, slipped into his shoes and jacket and a scarf, which he wrapped around his neck. And then he came to Benedict again, who raised his head and smiled softly.  
"That's my scarf." He smirked.  
Martin smiled, and shrugged his shoulder.  
"That doesn't bother m. The scarf hung on our wardrobe, so I can take it. You have enough other scarves, or you took a scarf from me later." Martin grinned and came to Benedict around the table.  
Benedict smirked and nodded; he pulled Martin at the scarf down to him, and kissed him lovingly.  
Martin sighed softly; he gave Ben also a loving kiss, before he broke apart and kissed Ben's temple.  
"See you later after the show. I look forward to you and your parents." Martin smiled.  
"I look also look forward to see the play again, and my parents are curious as well. Have a nice lunch with Ian, and greet him." He breathed Martin a kiss on the cheek.  
"I will greet him, darling." He smiled.

Martin winked, and went in the hallway again; he grabbed his bag.  
"See you later, Benny." he called from the door  
"Yeah, see you later, sweetheart." Benedict called lovingly into the hallway.

When Martin closed the door again, Benedict stood up, brought the cups into the kitchen and put them into the dishwasher - and then he sat down in front of the laptop and worked.


	93. Some news

Benedict had spent the remaining midday and afternoon at home.  
He had answered a few e-mails, had spoke with his agent, had made himself a few sandwiches, and he had been at the supemarkt, to buy the forgotten bread, toast and tea. The rest of the time, unt he had driven by car to London, he had read in some forums about adoption.

The laptop stood in front of him on the table; Benedict had switched him off - at the moment he leaned comfortably on the chair, the arms were crossed behind his head; his eyes were closed  
He was sure, the way won't be easy, but as rough and exhausting it will be, he knew, in the end it would be absolutely worthwhile. Nevertheless he could hardly wait to live here with Martin and their son or daughter - to sit here with them and eating breakfast, to fool around, to go on vacations and trips. He could hardly wait to see Martin with their son or daughter - to see him giving love and protection. 

His mobile phone played a melody, and brought him back into reality.  
Benedict opened his eyes, and turned off the alarm clock - he hadn't wanted to forget the time.  
Benedict stood up, closed the laptop, and put him with the cable into one of the drawers in the living room, before he went into the hallway.  
He slipped into his shoes and jacket, and took Martins scarf. And the he walked to the car, got into it, put the scarf next to him and set off to London, to fetch up his parents. 

 

In London, Benedict parked in front of his parents house, who had waited for him in front of the door, for a few minutes.  
Wanda opened the rear door and his father the door on the passengers side.  
Ben smiled to him, took Martin's scarf from the seat before Timothy sat down and put the scarf onto the rear seat next to his mother.  
Tim smiled, and squeezing Ben's shoulder.  
"Hello, my son."  
"Hey." Ben smiled, and squeezed his shoulder, too.  
Wanda was sitting on the edge of the rear seat; she looked through the two front seats, and rubbed across Ben's arm.  
Benedict turned his head back; his mother smiled at him, and kissed his cheek.  
"Hello, darling."  
"Hi mum." He smiled, and gave her a kiss.  
"I can't wait to see Martin... " Wanda smiled happily too Ben and Tim.  
Tim looked at her and then to his son.  
"It's great that you're here, Benedict. Now I'm not the only one, who must listen to her."  
"You're impossible, Timothy! Aren't you happy about to see your son-in-law, in that new play?" She punched Tim's shoulder.  
Ben looked to his mother and then to his father; he raised and eyebrow and smirked slightly  
"Of course, Wanda! Of course, I am happy to see him. He is a great and very talented actor; his performance as Richard III was already very good, and I'm sure that his performance today will be as outstanding as his last play." He said to Wanda, and then he looked to Ben. "She's talking about that play and Martin since we stood up today; let's go, and hope that the play begins very soon." He smirked to Ben.

Benedict grinned, started the engine and drove off.  
Wanda leaned back in her seat and glanced out the window.  
"I just looking forward to it!" She said again.  
"Mum, we also look forwards to it. The play is really good, and Martin is just awesome - as always. And he's very happy that you two are in the theatre tonight, and he also looked forward to see you two after the play." Ben stated.

Ben drioe through London, and parked in a car park, which was nearby the theatre.  
They had agreed to have a little snack on their way to the theatre - probably some chinese food, which they could eat while they would walk to the theatre.  
Wanda unbuckled, and leaned forward again.  
"Oh,... it's a bit early. We could sit here a bit, befor we go to have a snack." She smiled.  
Benedict had unbuckled as well as his father; he had wanted to open the door.  
"Here, in the car?" Ben asked.  
"Yes, why not? Let's sit here, and then we can go for some snack; it's just two minutes to the theatre, Ben. And we can talk here without other listeners." She smiled back.  
Ben turned around in his seat, so that he faced Tim and Wanda; he eyed them.  
"Is there a specific thing you want to talk about?" He asked sceptical, and he saw, that Timothy and Wanda looked at each other for a brief moment.

Timothy turned his head back to Benedict, when he had exchanged a look with his wife.  
Benedict looked at him, and waited, but before his father could say anything, he opened his mouth.  
"What's going on? Why did you look at each other like that? Is there something you need to tell me?"  
Timothy shook his head, began to smile, and put his hand on Benedict's shoulder.  
"No. We didn't want to tell you something, we wanted to ask you something."  
"Then ask, instead of making it more exciting..." Ben bowed his head; he looked impatiently to his father and mother.

Wanda smiled to Benedict.  
"It's about you and Martin. We were wondering what happened to your huge wish to become a dad,...whether it's no longer up-to-date or if you were thinking about another way to become a dad with Martin" She asked curiously, and Timothy looked curiously as well.  
Ben smiled at them both; he turned more to his father and his mother.  
"Okay, now it's great that we're in that car. There are some news. So, to answer your question,... the wish is still up-to-date; the relationship with Martin changed nothing. And Martin also had wanted to become a dad,... so, we already have talked about a child, about adoption." Benedict smiled with sparkling eyes, and looked into the surprised faces of his parents.  
"You two have spoken about adoption?" His father smiled, and he was surprised that he had come to word, before his wife had been able to say anything.  
"Benedict, does this mean that you two have already decided to adopt a child, or have you just talked about it in general?" Wanda asked; and their eyes lit up hopefully.

Timothy and Wanda had been talked about grandchildren, recently. However, they had been unsure whether Martin and her son wanted to have that in their relationship or not. They really liked and loved Martin, and they strongly supported the relationship of their son and Martin; and they were really happy, that Martin managed it, to make Benedict truly happy. They had been really happy, when Ben had told them, that he would move to Potters Bar.  
Wanda and Timothy agreed, that they would love to have grandchildren, regardless of whether it would be Benedict's biologically son or daughter, or an adopted child, they would love him or her unconditionally.

Benedict smiled and nodded.  
"Yes. Yes, we have decided to adopt a child, and this also answered your question, dad. We have talked about it several times."  
Wanda beamed even more, stroked across Benedict's shoulder.  
Timothy smiled broadly and happily.  
"This are really great news, Benedict. This means, that we will be probably grandparents at some point." Timothy said with a wide smile on his face.  
"Yes, that is exactly what it means. We wanted to takle care of it next year." Benedict smiled to his parents.  
"Since when are you two talking about children?" Wanda smiled with glowing eyes to Benedict.  
"Oh, since a while now, to be honest. It all started in Italy. Martin told you about that boy with the duck, which almost went overboard. I said to him, that he would be a great father and he said the same thing to me. We agreed to talk about that again. Well, then we had spent a day with Matilda, you know, when we have been in the zoo. It was amazing to see Martin with her, it's generally great to see him with children - on the next day, I ask him if he could imagine to adopt a child with me. And he said yes, and so we had talked about it more often. And this morning, we have done research, the whole process and all that." Benedict smiled. "As if you two would have known that."

Timothy grinned at Benedict's last comment.  
"We're your parents, we can feel something like that." He grinned. "You both know, when the time comes, we are always there when you need someone to take care, Benedict, right? And I think Martin's parents and his siblings, are there for you, as well." Tim smiled.  
Wanda agreed with a nod.  
"That's right, we are always there for you."  
Benedict nodded, smiled at the two, and stroked his mother's upper arm.  
"Yeah, we know that, and it's really lovely. However, we didn't want to take that offer too often; we would really love to have a bit more time for our child. Martin wants to focus more on projects in the UK, so that he's able to be at home more often." Benedict smiled; Martins suggestion let him still get an incredibly warm feeling.  
Tim bowed his head; he looked at Benedict with the same astonished facial expression like Wanda.  
"Honestly? He wants to take more projects in the UK, so he will have more time for your child? This is incredible!" Wanda said.  
"I can agree agree with your mother."  
"Hmm, I agree with you, too. Martin has suggested it in October. I was a bit unsure, because I really fon't want that he regrets it some day. But, what can I say; he's right. He is the one, who is actually rather at home than anywhere else, he's not much into this while Hollywood thing, he's happy with his projects in the UK and the theatre and all that, and he's not that much into travelling like I am. It is the best solution,... and my head and my stomach tell me, at least a little, that Martin will never regret it." Ben smiled.

Benedict's parents smiled; they were happy, that were really good news, and the thing Martin wanted to do for their grandchild and for their son, was just amazing.  
Timothy pressed Benedict's shoulder.  
"I don't know Martin that long, but I'm sure, he will never regret it. I really appreciate him and I really like him, not just as an actor, but also as a friend and as the partner of you. It was always great to work with him; he was always really professional - at all fun on the set, when it came to shoot a scene, he was absolutely professional. He was always prepared as much as it was possible, and sometimes even a little bit more. He hadn't just played widely; he always had thought about Watson, and had tried to make it as good as possible. I think he's doing that with every character - thinking a lot, trying to understand it completely, giving the best and a bit more. And I'm sure he's like that in private as well. What I want to tell you, Benedict; I'm convinced that you don't need to worry, if he had made this suggestion, then he had thought about it a long time, maybe longer than you would expect. He would never suggest something that big, without any thought, without being a hundret and fifty percent sure that he wants this and that he's feeling comfortable with it. "  
Ben looked at him; he nodded.  
"I think you're right."  
"Of course I'm right, I'm your father." Timothy smirked.

Wanda smirked in the backseat, and Benedict neeed to grin as well. His mother stroked over his hair.  
"You're really relaxed, why are you that relaxed? Normally you're quite nervous with such things." She asked wit a smile.  
Ben turned his head to her and shrugged his shoulders.  
"I don't know. I didn't know how you two would respond to that. I mean, I knew you would love to have grandchildren, but I didn't know how it is in context to Martin. I need to be honest, it didn't matter to me. That's why the idea of telling you about the adoption, hadn't made me nervous. If you wouldn't have liked it, you would have needed to arrange with it, I wouldn't have discussed. I really love Martin, and I tried too long to convince me that I'm not in love with him, I tried too long to get rid of the feelings. I wouldn't have expected that my wish of a relationship with him would come true. But now it is real. I'm totally happy with Martin; he makes me truly happy, and he makes me feel loved - deeply loved. I mean, I was incredibly nervous, when I told you all that last Christmas, but simply, because it was new, to present a man and not a woman. It's nothing new to talk about children in a relationship. Of course, I wanted that you're happy with our decision, but I wouldn't have made another, just because you wouldn't have agreed. It's me and Martin, and it's what I want to have with him,... a family.“  
Wanda smiled.  
"I know what you want to say. And it's all good; we don't need to arrange us with that - we love it, and we love it that you have found your home with an in Martin, and we love our son-in-law. And as well as we support your relationship, as well we will support you with the adoption and your sond or duaghter." She smiled, and patted Ben's cheek.  
Timothy smiled widely and nodded.  
"That's right, your mother is absolutely right. It's lovely to see you with Martin, and it will be lovely to see you with Martin and a little one." He still smiled, and pressed the shoulder of his son.

Benedict looked gently at his parents, nodded and smiled with sparkling eyes  
He looked to the clock in the car.  
"I think we should go. We can talk about it later when the play is over and Martin is with us again." Benedict smiled gently.  
Wanda smiled, grabbed her purse and nodded.  
"Yes. If you two want, we can have a drink at our place - a glass of wine, or a coffee, and Martin could eat something, if he's hungry."  
Timothy grinned and opened his door, while Benedict turned around to his mother and chuckled.  
"As if if would say no to food. Can you take my scarf with you, mum?" He smiled at the end.  
Wanda smiled and nodded,  
"It's exhausting, of course he will be hungry afterwards."  
"He's always hungry not only after work." Ben smirked.  
Wanda smirked, before she took the scarf, which lay next to her.  
"That's not your scarf, it's Martin scarf, it's the one, whe have bought him for his birthday." She smiled, and got out with Ben.

Benedict smiled to her. He locked the car, and took he scarf from his mother with a huge smile on his face and sparkling eyes. He wrapped the scarf around his neck, and laid an arm around his mothers shoulder.  
She smiled satisfied and relaxed.  
"Like I said, my scarf... " He smiled with beaming eyes; buried his nose into the scarf, and breathed Martins aftershave in. He really enjoyed it.


	94. With the parents

Benedict and his parents had left the car park; they had bought some Chinese food, and then they had walked to theatre. At the entrance they had stopped; they had eat their food, and after that they had gone into the theatre to buy a drink and to use the toilet.  
After they had taken place, Wanda had repeatedly said how much she looked forward to see Martin in that play; and she had said that she looked forward to 'the other'. 'The other' was in fact her future grandchild, but they hadn't wante to spread the news here, one never knew who was listening - and this time to young woman, who definitely know Benedict, sat right behind them. At least, they had taken a selfie with him in the foyer.  
Benedict and Timothy hadn't listen any longer, but they had nodded or muttered something that would probably be accurate, according to Wandas babbling.

 

After the play, Martin changed his clothes, refreshed himself, grabbed one of the sandwiches, which were lying in the backstage area, and while he ate it, he grabbed his bag.   
He looked forward to Ben and his parents, and to a nice evening with them, until Ben and he would drive back home.  
He left the theatre at the stage door. Like every night, fans were waiting for him, with mobile phones, cameras, pens, and pictures and a lot of other stuff, they wanted him to sign.   
Martin walked along the barrier, tried to sign as much as possible, tried to take as much selfies as possible, and he chatted briefly, before he waved to the fans.   
He walked to the street, around the corner and towards Benedict and his parents.

Benedict beamed when he saw Martin, which led Timothy and Wanda to turn around.   
Martin stopped, hesmiled with a loving glance briefly to Benedict, and then smiled to his parents-in-law.   
He hugged Wanda.  
"Hi Wanda." He smiled, and hugged her softly, and got hugged by her as well.  
"Martin. Nice to see you! You were really great tonight, and the play was also very good. My son has looked at you very proudly and lovingly - the whole time." She whispered with a smile.  
Martin grinned softly.  
"Please, don't abash me like the last time we see us." He whispered back.  
"Oh, if you get ashamed so quickly, just because of a bit snogging." She grinned, and gave him free.  
Martin grinned at her, then he turned to Benedict's father. They shook hands, huged each other wth one arm, and patted the shoulders of one another.  
"A very great performance, Martin." Tim smiled, and broke apart.  
"Thanks Tim. I am glad you liked it." He smiled.

Martin turned his head to Ben; he smiled lovingly, his eyes sparkled.   
Benedict returned his smile with warm sparkling eyes. He grabbed Martin and pulled him into a loving hug.  
Martin hugged himback; he felt Benedict's kiss on his temple, then a kiss on the cheek and then he heard the deep voice in his ear full of pride and warmth.  
"It's always nice to see you on stage.“Ben whispered.  
Martin hugged him even thighter, enjoyed his proud words, and placed a gentle kiss on Ben's neck.   
"Thank you, love." He whispered into Ben's crook of the neck.  
Ben smiled, and kissed his ear.  
"I told my parents about the adoption; they asked earlier after children."  
"Good?" Martin asked a bit stiff into Benedict's neck.  
"Very good. They are very happy about it." He smiled at Martin's ear, and looked for his parents, who slowly walked to the car park.  
Martin smiled, he broke apart, stretched up and kissed Ben's lips.  
"Good." He smiled with beaming eyes, and gave Ben a second kiss.  
Benedict smiled, stroked across Martin's cheek, and gave him a kiss, too.  
They took each other by the hand, and strolled behind Benedict's parents to the car park. 

 

Half an hour later, Wanda unlocked the door at home.  
They all slipped out of their jackets, scarves and shoes.   
Wanda looked at the three men.  
"So, what would you like to drink?" She asked.  
"I would take a cup of coffee.", Ben smiled.  
"Red wine for me, Darling." Timothy smiled.  
"Tea would be great, Wanda." Martin smiled.  
"Okay, are you hungry, Martin? We have leftover from the lunch today." Wanda asked Wanda, while Timothy went int the living room.  
Benedict had followed him.  
Martin looked to Wanda; he bowed his head.  
"I don't want to eat up your lunch, Wanda. And don't bother. Really it's fine." Martin smiled gratefully.  
"Oh rubbish, boy. It's not enough for the to of us, we will cook something else tomorrow. It is lasagna,... without meat." She smiled.  
"I'm not allowed to say no, right?" He smirked softly.  
"Sit down in the living room, my dear. I know that you're hungry." She chuckled.   
Martin smiled.  
"Okay, thank you, Wanda." 

Wanda smiled at him again; and then she went into the kitchen, while Martin went into the living room and sat on the couch to Benedict.   
Timothy was sitting in the armchair; he smiled to Martin.  
"If you're still hungry Martin, just tell it Wanda, we have leftover from lunch today - lasgana with vegetables and salad."  
Martin smiled to him and nodded.  
"Your wife already offered it to me. Thank you."  
"Oh, she was faster than I." He chuckled.  
"I couldn't slowher down." Martin grinned, and leaned back comfortably.  
Benedict grinned to himself, he leaned back comfortably, had crossed his legs.

Wanda brought Timothy his red wine. A few minutes later she brought Benedict's coffee and Martin's tea, and she filled herself a glass with wine. Then she disappeared into the kitchen again, to get the lasagna and the bowl with bulgur salad. She placed it in fornt of Martin onto the coffee table and sat down on the second couch.  
Martin glanced at the food and then back to Wanda.  
"Thanks again. That's really sweet."  
"You're welcome, Martin. Just eat, you need something warm in your stomach after work." Wanda smiled.

Martin smiled; he bent forward and took the knife and the fork. He felt Benedict's hand on his back, the fingers caressed him gently.  
Martin turned his head to Ben, smiled warmly at him, winked and signaled that he liked his caresses.  
Timothy looked to them; he had his glass of wine in hand, and had crossed his legs.  
"Ben told us earlier that you want to adopt a child. It's really lovely, really great news tonight."  
"Benny had already said, that you knowit. I'm glad that you also happy about it. " Martin smiled, and put lasagna into his mouth.  
"We already have said it to Benedict, but I would like to say it again. We will support you on your way - with pleasure." Tim smiled.  
"We appreciate that, Tim. And it's nice to know that you two are standing behind it." Martin said with a smile, after he had swallowed.

Wanda smiled to the two men on the other couch.  
"How long will it take?"  
Benedict still caressed Martin's back; he answered for them, bacause Martin was still eating the lasagna.  
"It's different. There are several steps which will take a while. First; we need to find an agency, than there are a few appointments, and a medical and criminal check, and preparation group meetings. Then there's a panel, which decide whether we may or may not proceed to the second step. The first step takes two months. The second step takes four months or longer - they will come to us, they will talk to friends and family. Then they write a detailed report and the panel will decide whether we are suitable for it or not. If so, the agency will search for a child. This will take a while; some have to wait just a few month, others have waited half year or a year, some other have waited even longer. And then there are meetings with the child and us and a social worker. Until the boy or girl will live with us." Benedict ended with a smile.   
Wanda and Timothy nodded.  
"That sounds like a long way,...and next year you want to find an agency?" Timothy asked smiling.  
"We wanted to do research this year, and looking up a few agencys, so that we can start properly next year." Ben smiled, and Martin nodded while he chewed.  
"And you will need some friends who give a opinion on you, right?" Wanda asked.

Benedict nodded.  
Martin put the cutlery to the side, took the bowl with the salad and leaned back again. Benedict laid his hand on Martin's thigh.  
"The lasagna was very delicious." He smiled to Benedict's parents.  
"I'm glad you liked it, Martin." Wanda smiled.  
"To your question, we need to name two people, who are not related to us, and one of the relatives. We wanted to ask Simon, Una and my brother Jamie." Martin smiled.  
Timothy smiled and nodded to him.  
"That sounds good. Una will say yes, I'm sure."

 

The family chatted a bit about the adoption process.  
Martin ate the salad while they chatted and drank his tea afterwards. In the course of the conversation, Benedict had mentioned that he had met some acquaintance of his parents, who didn't like it, that he's with Martin. Benedict's father had replied that they had broken up any contact with them, because they had talked very rude about their relationship. 

It was shortly after midnight, when Benedict and Martin went into the hallway again. They slipped into their shoes and jackets.  
They turned to the pegs again - their scarves were still hanging there.   
Martin grabbed as fast as possible Benedict's gray, thick wool scarf and wrapped it around his neck.   
Benedict smirked and took Martin's colorful checkered scarf from the other peg and wrapped it around his neck.   
They said goodbye to Benedict's parents with lovely hugs and pecks and hand shakings, before they went to the car.

The two men grinned the car.   
Benedict unlocked the car and got it with Martin.  
"When I am allowed to wear my scarf aagin?" Ben grinned, and put the key into the ignition lock.   
"When the scarf no longer smells like you." Martin smirked. He buried his nose into Ben's scarf, which smelled like Benedict and his aftershave.  
Ben smiled to him; he leaned to Martin, rubbed across his thigh and kissed with his warm lips Martin's cheek; he patted Martin's thigh, got a beaming kiss from him, and sat back again - he drove off.  
Martin leaned his head against the glass, buried his nose still in Benedict's scarf - he loved Ben's aftershave and Ben's typical smell.  
"We need to think about a starter for Simons Christmas dinner." Martin muttered into his scarf.  
"Yes. So far, I had no idea." Ben said while driving.  
"Hmm, me too." Martin muttered into the scarf. "Something that is not too much effort; we wanted to make a gingerbread house for Matilda."  
"When you're in the theatre tomorrow, I look for a nice starter, and for a recipe for the gingerbread house."  
"Great, love." Martin mumbled, and made himself more comfortable in the seat; he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

 

After about an hour, Benedict parked behind Martins car in the driveway. He turned off the engine, and looked to Martin.  
Martin's head still leaned against the window; his nose was still buried in the scarf.   
Benedict smiled, squeezed softly Martin's thigh.  
Martin lifted his head, and opened his eyes.  
"Already there?" He muttered.  
"Hmh, we are back home. Come on honey, unbuckle and let's go in,... and then you can cuddle with me, instead of using my scarf for yur cuddling habits." Ben winked softly.  
"I'm right with you." Martin beamed softly, and unbuckled.  
Ben rubbed across Martin's knee, before he got out and took Martin's bag out of the trunk.

Martin and Bendict walked to the front door; Benedict unlocked the door, they got in, slipped out of their shoes and scarves and jackets and went upstais.  
Martin used the shower, while Ben used the toilet and brushed his teeth. And when Martin left the shower again, Ben handed him one of the large and soft towels.  
Martin smiled gently.  
"Thank you, darling."  
Ben nodded with a smile; he breathed Martin a kiss on the wet hair.  
"I'm off to bed, and will wait for my cuddling partner."  
Martin closed his eyes and nodded.  
"I'm with you in a tick. Can you set the alarm, love?"  
"Back to nine?" Ben asked.  
Martin smiled and nodded; he kissed Benedict's naked collarbone, and stroked with his free hand across Ben's pajama pants - across his butt. He winked softly, broke apart and wrapped the towel around his waist.

Benedict smiled gently; he went to the bedroom, set the alarm and laid down on his back - his arms crossed under his head, waiting for Martin.  
Martin brushed his teeth, used the toilet and went to the bedroom - nacked.  
"Ohh, great, naked Martin." Ben beamed  
"Warm me up, Benny." Martin smiled, and slipped under the blanket to Ben. He snuggle against the warm body, kissed the crook of Benedict's neck, and laid his head on Ben's bare chest - he wrapped his arm tightly around Ben's stomach.  
"I will." Ben murmured.  
He pressed a soft kiss into Martin's damp hair, switched off the light, laid his arms around Martin and hugged him tightly and softly an safely - his warm body warmed Martin up.


	95. Mario and Bowser

On the next morning, Benedict and Martin had enjoyed their breakfast, before Martin had gone to London and the theatre.   
Benedict had done a couple of things at home; he had done a little bit of research for the adoption and the Christmas dinner; he had worked a bit, and in the evening he had driven to London, too, to meet Tom for dinner. And after Ben had picked up his partner from the theater, they had driven home and had enjoyed a glass of wine. Before they had gone to bed; Benedict had shown Martin a list of adoption agencies that existed in and around London around and with which they could get closer.

 

Benedict turned around into Martin's arms, pressed his face into Martin's crook of the neck and snuggled closer. One hand sroked under Martin's T-shirt until his hand lay on his shoulder blade. He sighed, enjoyed the warm skin of Martin on his own cold skin.   
It was Sunday morning - the sky was a single thick, dark gray cloud, and the rain was pouring down endlessly.   
The couple was awake for a good half an hour.  
A minute ago, Benedict had pressed his back at Martin's belly and had enjoyed Martin's caresses.   
Martin's face had been buried in Benedict's hair, and his hand had caressed Ben's chest and stomach, and his fingertips had been running breathy along Ben's arm, which had made him goose bumps.   
Now Martin's hand lay on Ben's back; he rubbed affectionately across it, before he lay his hand on the back of Ben's head. His lips pressed three gentle kisses in Benedict's hair.  
"Maybe you should think about to wear more than just a pajama pants in winter, love. Your arm is very cold,... and my warm back, need to warm him up now." Martin pressed a fourth kiss into Ben's hair.  
"But it's more comfortable without." Benedict muttered into Martin's crook of the neck.  
Martin smiled into the dark hair, rubbed his nose gently back and forth, pursing his lips for an another kiss.   
Benedict sighed when he felt Martin's lips once again; he also pursed his lips and breathed Martin a kiss on the neck.  
Martin pressed him closer.  
"Couch day?" He muttered into Ben's hair.  
"Couch day sounds very good." Ben muttered. "Couch and bed day." He added.

After that Martin's belly and then Benedict's stomach were growling loudly.   
One could hear Martin's warm laugh, which mixed with the deep laughter of Benedict.  
"Okay, I think we're just doing the couch day."  
"I would also say that, Benny. Let's have a shower and then we make breakfast and take it with us to the couch.  
A sixth and last Kiss met Benedict's hair, and Martin's hand scratched lovingly out of Ben's hair and across the back.  
Benedict pulled his arm out off Martin's T-Shirt. He kissed the crook of the neck and looked up to Martin.  
Martin smiled at him, tousled gently through Ben's hair.  
And then they both got up.

The two men stood up, fetched up fresh clothed and went to the bathroom.   
Martin used the toile and brushed his teeth, while Benedict showered.   
And then they switched places.   
They dressed up again - just with a fresh boxer brief and a fresh T-shirt and socks, but still with their pajama pants.  
They went downstairs.  
Ben was busy with the fireplace, while Martin made a few sandwiches, tea and coffee.   
Martin carried the plates, the cup and the mug into the living room.

Benedict sat down in the armchair, while Martin sat down on the sofa. They both stretched out their legs; Martin's sandwich plate stood beside him on the sofa; Benedict held his plate in his hand.  
"What are we doing on the couch after our breakfast, Martin?" Ben asked Martin, who had just bit into his sandwich.  
Martin looked up; he shrugged his shoulders and looked around the living room, while chewing his sanwich. He pointed with his finger to the game console.  
Benedict looked in the direction.  
"Oh, yeah, that's great."  
Martin gulped down his bite and nodded.  
"Yeah, now that your thumb is good again we could do that. Do you want? Or do you want to do something else?" Martin asked with a smile, and bit again into his sandwich.  
"I can think of a few other things to do on the couc with you, but I love your idea rigth now." Benedict grinned.   
Martin grinned while chewing.

They ate their sandwiches before were busy with the game console.   
Mario Cart.  
Martin sat down on the couch again with his controlle and Benedict settled down onto the armchair again.   
They waited until the game had loaded and seek out a figure to drive with.  
"Well, you could take the princess!" Martin grinned after he had picked Mario, which Benedict had wanted to pick, too.   
Benedict looked to him, and imitated Martin, which made Martin laugh.  
"There are eight characters, why did you pick the one I wanted to have."  
"There are just seven,... I won't take the princess. And the first letter of my name is on his cap, or did I miss something and his name's Bario." Martin grinned.  
Benedict looked back to Martin, and rolled with his eyes, but then he grinned.  
"I seem to have missed something or since when is your name Mario? So your full name is Mr. Martin John Christopher 'Mario' Freeman?" Ben grinned.  
Martin laughed.  
"You know my three names, and that's it. In addition, Mario begins with an M,... and after all, four letters are the same with my name. Don't make such a fuss. Pick Bowser he begins with a B." Martin smirked.  
Benedict grinned and shook his head in disbelief - but in the end, he took Bowser.  
"At last! Now we can play. ", Martin grinned and the clock already beeped.

Martin was fully concentrated; he sat cross-legged on the couch, and stuck his tongue out to the side.  
Benedict was sittingonthe ground now, also cross-legged, and he also looked very concentrated.   
They had played a few rounds; so far Martin had won most of the time - sometimes very close, a few times very clearly. On the ice routes he had failed completely.  
Martin punched the air triumphantly; he cheered when his Mario drove right before Benedict's Browser across the finish line. He laid the controller aside with a grin.  
"The first third goes to me, my prickly friend." Martin laughed, and stood up.  
Benedict let his shoulders hang downwards; he put his controller aside, and felt Martin's hands lovingly tousle through his hair.   
Martin bent down and pressed a kiss into the tousled hair, and he ran his hand lovingly through it afterwards.  
Benedict closed his eyes and enjoyed Martin's hands and kiss - but afterwards he pinched Martin into his little soft tummy.  
"Mario will burst at some point if he will eat more bananas. And his boyfriend won't be thrilled that he constantly throws the banana peels onto the ground.  
Martin grinned broadly; he whiped gently Benedict's hand from his tummy, and helped him up.  
"Mario has no boyfriend." He kissed Benedict's cheek, and went into the kitchen with him - they need to cook something for lunch.  
"He has Luigi." Ben said, while he placed a pot and a pan on the stove in the kitchen.  
"Luigi is his brother, isn't he? They look alike. Mario fancies the princess." Martin said, and put noodles and the ingredients for the sauce out of the cupboards and the fridge.  
Benedict had fetched up a cutting board and a knife,and filled the pot with water.  
"I don't know the family relationships of Mario and the others. Finally he just rescues the princess." Benedict grinned, and pulled out two plates, while Martin washed and cut the tomatoes.  
"You don't know what's happening behind closed doors." Martin grinned, while he was cutting the tomatoes.  
"You should rather concentrate on cutting, Martin, than thinking of the princess." Benedict grinned beside him, and heated the oil in the pan.  
"Long blond hair, a pink dress and pink shoes don't suit you, darling." He winked to Benedict.

The pair cooked together, took the plate with pasta in the living room, and ate on the couch. They put the empty plates onto the coffee table to the dishes from breakfast.  
The kitchen wasn't cleaned up as well.  
They started the game again; Benedict chose Browser again, and Martin chose Mario.   
The screen opened, and beeped, until the green light lit up.  
Martin sped up. He looked at the screen but was wondering that Mario didn't do what Martin wanted him to do. Right now he had wanted that he drove to the left - what he had done, but just after a few moments. Shortly thereafter, he cursed and swore on the sofa.  
"Damn it!"  
Benedict laughed; he had looked after Martin's Mario, to see where he was, because he had wondered, that Martin hadn't already overtaken him. When he saw what Mario was doing in the lower screen, he knew the answer - Martin had looked on the upper screen.  
"Crap crap crap. Fuck it." Martin swore with a grumpy voice. He looked down to his screen now - he was far far away from Browser."  
Benedict was still laughing.  
"How can one confused these two figures?“  
"I was a bit,... confused for a moment." Martin grumbled and tried to catch up with Mario.  
Ben laughed, concentrated on the screen again; he stuck out his tongue and moving his body with the curves.  
"Come on, Ben,... we start it again."  
"Forget it! Just look to the right screen, old man."  
"This is unfair." Martin complained, and pushed the joystick on the controller even more forward, as would it cause that Mario drove faster than he was able to.  
"Your banana peels are unfair in which I drive all the time. Now stop complaining and be quiet, I need to focus." Benedict grinned, and focused with his stretched out tongue.   
Martin swore quietly - the whole time. He e tried to do his best, but also his banana peels and the other nice thing he got, didn't help him in the end.

Martin was circling his shoulders, Government tightened back and pointed the finger down on Benedict, who Rauf laughed to him.  
"No you will bite the dust, Cumberbatch! And if I need to throw real banana peels in your the field of view." Martin grinned.  
Benedict laughed even more.  
"If I wouldn't no, that we've now bananas, I wouldn't be surprised if you really would do this." Ben grinned. "But you don't need to complain, Mr Grumpy,.. every time I drive across these fields I get just useless items." Benedict grinned more.  
"Your pet names for me become more and more lovely, sugarnut. Firstly, old man, now Mr. Grumpy,... what is the next one?" Martin smirked.  
"I will think about it." Ben winked with a grin up to Martin.  
"You don't have to." Martin grinned, and winked. He stretched out his leg, and caressed gently with his bare foot across Benedict's thigh.  
Benedict smiled now - lovingly. His hand stroked gently over Martin's bare foot.  
"I love you too, Martin." He squeezed Martin's foot gently.  
Martin smiled with shining eyes, nodded gently and watched Benedict, who slipped closer to him, he pressed a kiss on the knee.   
Martin stroked with one hand over Benedict's hair, played briefly with the strands, before Benedict turned back to the TV - but he still sat between Martin's legs in front of the sofa.

When their stomachs growled the next time, they did a second break.   
They went into the kitchen, cooked dinner, and ate it on the couch again. And the plates landed onto the coffee table again.  
Before they played again, Benedict fetched up a bag with gummy bears and brought Martin the chocolate, which he had wanted.   
Benedict had gone back on the ground, the gummy bear bag lay in front of him, as well as a row of the nut chocolate.   
Martin was sitting on the couch, again cross-legged - the chocolate was lying next to him - one row was missing, but a hadnful of gummi bears were lying beside him.   
Two open bottles of beer stood on the coffee table.

Martin and Benedict decided to play another Mario Cart game, which was also included on the game disc.   
The screen was again split into two. There were four different thematic areas - ice, sand, water and road. They had picked the road theme.   
There was a square playing field, with barriers to hide behind. One also could see yellow fields to get banana peels and all the other stuff. And on the cars of Mario and Browser stuck three balloons which one needed to destroy.

Martin raced with Mario across the playing field, and he always looked up to see where Benedict's Bowser was hiding. He needed to focus on his one path, so that he didn't drive into a banana peel or got it hit by a turtle, and he needed to search Ben's Browser to destroy his balloons.  
Benedict did the same; raced across the playing field, drove across the question mark fields and threw a banana peel into a corner.  
Martin could barely bypass the yellow trash.   
"Your stupid banana peel! You need to think abput something better. Now the fucking thing is a barrier for both of us." Martin grinned.  
He loved that day, to just sit here in pajama pants and a T-Shirt, to enjoy the warmth of the fireplace, and to gamble with Benedict.   
He drove across one of the question marks. Banana. Martin grinned broadly, threw it onto the road, but Benedict circuit it cleverly.  
Ultimately, it was Martin who drove into the banana peel.   
Mario turned around a few time - another balloon was missing.   
Benedict laughed.

They tried out all four playing fields - but used most of the time the normal road theme.   
They couldn't say who had won more often - it had been fairly balanced.   
During their games they had drunk their beers, had eaten chocolate and the gummi bears - and now they put the controllers aside.   
It was almost haf past eleven in the evening.   
They were sitting in front of the telly since this morning shortly after 10 o'clock 

Benedict began put away the game console.  
"You were just allowed to be Mario, because you look like him." Ben grinned.  
"What?" Martin grinned from the couch.  
"Well, you're small, you've blue eyes, the nose fits, and he has a silly mustache." Ben grinned amused.  
"I have no mustache!" Martin grinned.  
"Well, well, Martin. I saw you with one. And you seem to agree with the other things."  
"Then I could be Luigi as well." Martin grinned.  
"No. He's taller and more slender." Ben laughed.  
"You ratbag, you crappy boyfriend." Martin laughed, and threw the pillow from the sofa to Benedict, who caught it, and laughed."

Benedict laughed and threw the pillow back to Martin, it hit Martin's chest.   
A wild pillow fight started on the couch. The living room was dull beating sounds, laughter, Japsern and grace calls, to hear both Benedict and Martin. 

Martin was the first who lost his pillow.   
Benedict raised an eyebrow with an evil grin; he threw his own pillow aside and Martin pressed deeper into the sofa.   
Martin was lying on the edge, Benedict knelt next to him on the sofa; he hunched over Martin, pushed the T-shirt up, and tickled him with his fingertips.  
"Noooooo. Ben! Not. Please. Please don't do that. Beeeeeennnnyyyy..." Martin laughed, and tried to fight with Ben, but he faild massively.  
He struggled and fought as much as possible.  
Benedict laughed, and tickled Martin's tummy and his sides - the only places where Martin was really extremely ticklish. On other places, he was ticklish too, but after a few moments Martin stopped laughing, and purred in relish. So Ben focused on the massively ticklish tummy.  
Martin pleaded breathlessly for mercy, laughed, struggled, fought with hands and feet. many laugh tears were drooling down his cheeks - his face was red from the effort. He tried to slip away from Benedict. 

Martin had forgotten that he was lying near to the edge, and with the next struggle and shoving away, he slipped down from the sofa and ended up on the carpet in front of the couch - with a moan.  
The two men laughed even more.   
Martin held his tummy, and wiped the tears away.   
Benedict laughed from the couch down to Martin, he also wiped his laugh tears away. He leaned down from the sofa, and nudged Martin's nose with his forefinger.  
Martin's laugh became a grin.   
Benedict slipped from the couch; he grabbed Martin's hands, entwined their fingers and pressed their hands on the carpet next to Martin's head. 

Martin looked up to his partner.   
They both grinned, smirked, and then a loving smile flickered across their faces.   
Benedict knelt between Martin's legs, leaned down and kissed Martin softly.  
"A perfect day.“  
Martin smiled gentl with closed eyes.  
"Hmm, I loved it to, it was good fun."  
"We need to do this again some day." Benedict muttered softly against Martin's lips.  
"Absolutely." Martin whispered. "Now we need to clean up, love."  
Benedict bit softly into Martin's lower lip and stole another kiss.  
"I had a different idea for the end of that day" He whispered.  
He took Martin's hand and led it to his butt.

With Martin's hand on Benedict's butt, the mess was forgotten.   
And so on the next morning not only dirty pots and pans, knives, boards, spoons and other utensils were lying in the kitchen. In the living room were still the six plates, two knives, four forks and the empty beer bottles. The chocolate way still lying on the table, the gummy bear bag lay on the floor.   
And in front of the sofa were lying two pajama pants - a dark blue one and a checkered one; a white T-Shirt lay under the coffee table with a black boxer brief, and the grey boxer shorts was lying onto the sofa with the other T-shirt and the bottle of lube.  
Two naked men were still asleep on the ground beneath a blanket.


	96. Penguins and a gingerbread house

Exactly a week later, one could hear Christmas music in Benedicts and Martins kitchen.  
Today was the 1st advent - and the Christmas music, as well as a lighted candle in the advent wreath, were the only sign that the holiday season had started so far.  
Throughout the week it had been quite uncomfortable. It had rained almost continuously - and right now, rain was softly drumming against the window in the kitchen.   
Benedict and Martin had had a sleep in; they had showered and eaten a late breakfast.

Martin closed the dishwasher. He wore washed-out jeans, a white T-shirt; his gaze flickered to Benedict, who was sitting on one of the bar stools - also with a jeans and with a thind dark sweater.  
Martin leaned against the kitchen counter.  
"Okay, darling, you said you wanted to look after a good starter for the Christmas dinner - what will we do?" Martin asked smiling.  
"Penguins... " Benedict had managaned it to pronounce it properly, but he was immediately interrupted by Martin, who grinned madly.  
"Pinguins,... is that coping with anxiety?"  
"I don't have to pronounce their weird name,... I will est them." Benedict grinned.  
"Just because you're not able to pronounce their name correctly, you don't have to kill them, Benedict" Martin smirked.  
Benedict grinned to Martin.  
"Yeah, yeah,... just mock me."  
Martin nodded and grinned widely. He came over to Benedict and looked up - he was smiling now.  
"What do we need for your penguins and how works it? It sounds kinda complicated."  
"Is very simple, at least the instructions on the internet looked really simply." Ben smiled, and stood up. "I will show you.“

Benedict walked to the fridge, and put out a few things, which he had bought yesterday.  
Carrots, cream cheese, black olives - in two different sizes.  
At the end, he opened a drawer and took out the plastic box with the toothpicks.  
Martin watched him - and fetched up two cutting boards and knives, which they seemed to need. He looked at his partner.  
"I'm curious, Ben." Martin smiled.  
Benedict took two spoons out of a drawer. He looked with a smile to Martin.  
"Yes, me too. I hope it is really as easy as it had looked like.“  
"If you act as clumsily as with pronouncing the name of this animal, it will be a disaster, Mr. Pengwing Pengling." Martin grinned at him.  
Benedict pinched him into the little tummy.  
"Could you stop now?"  
"Sorry,... come here, darling." Martin pulled him gently down, and gave him a tender and loving kiss on the cheek.  
"And could you please stop to twist me around your little finger that quickly?" Ben smiled with closed eyes, and enjoyed Martin's tender kiss.  
Martin smiled gently, and pressed a him a second soft kiss on the cheek.  
"No, I won't stop, honey. Please show me how these penguins work?"  
Ben held up his cheek for the second kiss. He smiled, nodded and pointed to the carrots.

"So, we need to cut the carroits into slices and then we cut out a small triangle out of every slice" His finger pointed to the cheese. "And we must form the cheese into a ball - it's the body. Um, and we need to cut the large olives in the middle - the two halves will be the wings. The small olives are the heads and the X of the olive is for the noses - which are the cut out pieces from the carrots. The rest of the carrot slices are the feet. And then one just poke the toothpick into the whole thing." He ended, and looked at Martin.  
"Okay, that sounds really simple."  
Benedict nodded smilingly.  
"I bought a bread mix - so we can bake a bread as well."  
"Fantastic, okay,... then let's begin - we also need to make the gingerbread house."  
Benedict pressed a gently kiss on Martins temple.  
"Yes. And for the gingerbread house, I've found a video instruction." He muttered against Martin's hair, and breathed him a second kiss on the temple.  
Martin smiled with his eyes closed, and stroked gently Benedict's back.

The men broke apart.   
Martin took the cream cheese and opened the packaging.  
While Martin was busy with forming the cream cheese balls, Benedict peeled and washed the carrots.   
In the background Christmas music was still playing; the rain still drummed against the window - the sky was grey and left no hope that it would get better today.   
In the last week they had looked through some of the agencies, which Benedict had picked out - some of them, they had already deleted them from their list. Until now, they hadn't talked about the child in detail, despite the fact that they agree, that it should be older than 2 years.

Some of the cream cheese balls were already ready, and for now, Martin putthe spoons aside and took the bread mix.   
Benedict was busy with cutting the carrots into slices, but almost every second slice disappeared into his mouth - and while he was cutting, he fished out some of the small olives, which also disappeared in his mouth.

Martin put the bread in the oven, and turned around again. From the corner of the eye, he had seen that a lot of carrot slices and olives had vanished into Bens mouth.   
He walked to him, and pinched his butt.  
"Can you stop the nibbling now! Or is this penguin family the victim of a nasty crime, and some of them got decapitated? Oh and some of them lost their feet, after someone has chopped them off."  
"Science,... John!" Ben defended himself in his Sherlock voice.  
Martin laughed, and pinched him gently into the butt again.  
"Must I be frightened that there are body parts in the microwave, oven or the fridge?" He asked amused. "Sherlock?" Martin added ironically.  
"Just don't look into the microwave, the oven and the fridge, John." Ben answered again in his Sherlock voice.  
Martin still laughed and put his arms around Benedict's belly.  
"Now stop with this nonsense. You realy have eaten enough." Martin kissed Benedict's shoulder.  
"Was it that obvious?" Benedict asked innocently.  
"Yes! Your hand was more in your mouth than on the knife. Cut me a couple of the large olives, then I can put them together, love.  
Benedict took the second glass with the large olives and opened it.  
"I keep an eye on you, my friend." Martin winked, kissed Benedict's shoulder again and rubbed across the flat stomach, before he broke apart, and waited for the olive halves. 

Benedict turned his head briefly to Martin and smiled mischievously, before he started to cut some of the olives.  
Martin put a few penguins together and lined them up into a box.  
"Max, Joe, Emma, Marcus, Gracie, Mike, Hannah, Jimmy, Graham, Oliver, Emily, Amy, Miranda... Sue. " He said, and put the next penguin into the box.  
Benedict looked irritated to Martin.  
"What are you doing?" He asked confused.  
"I've named our penguins."  
"You're sure you're alright?" Ben grinned.  
Martin pulled a weird face and looked at Benedict with a crazy glint in the eyes.  
"It could be, that I forgot to take my pills today. My therapist said that as long as I'm taking the pills all will be fine." Martin said with trembling, higher voice and licked his lips. He rolled his eyes and fumbled at Ben's sweater. "Do you know,... if I already havetaken my pills today? Somehow, it doesn't feel like I have... " Martin said with his crazy and weird higher voice- the voice trembled.  
Benedict looked at him; he needed to shiver, and he laughed.  
"God, stop this, Martin. This is scary!“  
Martin grinned and chuckled. He turned back to the penguins, put one together and put him into the box.  
"Arthur" He said, when the penguin was sitting in the box.  
Benedict grinned broadly, shook his head in amusement, and went on with cutting.

Martin put teh last penguins tigether, named each one, put them into the fridge, and then he cleaned up with Benedict.  
Martin washed his hands, came to Ben, and pushed him closer. His eyes glowed up to Ben,a nd he shoved his hands into Benedict's pockets at the butt. he got on his tiptoes, captured Ben's lips and kissed him lovingly. Benedict cupped Martin's face; he returned Martins gentle kiss, who fell back on his feet - he followed Martin, leaned down a bit, to compensate their 14 centimeters high difference.   
Martin smiled into the kiss.   
Benedict loosened his lips, and gave him several small and brief kisses.  
Martin rubbed their noses together.  
Their smiled at each other.

"So, the we will try to make this gingerbread house." Benedict said softly.   
Martin nodded, squeezed Benedict's butt, before his hands slipped out of the pockets.   
"Where the video?"  
Benedict broke apart, went to the kitchen island and took his mobile phone. He opened the video and showed it Martin.  
Martin frowned when the video ends.  
"I got nothing."  
Benedict smiled to him.  
"The written instruction is better."  
"Then let's do this step by step" Martin said. He read the first step. "Did you buy up all this?"  
"Yes, everything is here, honey." Ben smiled.  
Benedict's mobile phone got into the protected mode.   
Martin pushed the menu button and typed Benedicts code. He read it again.  
"So you need to boil 600 grams of honey with 125 millilitre of water, this need to cool down afterwards. And we need tocut the candied lemon and orange peel into small pieces."  
Benedict followed Martin's first instruction.

They cooked the honey mixture, let them cool down, while they put out all the other ingredients - and they prepared it already.   
And inbetween they took the finished bread out of the oven.  
When the honey mixture was cooled down, Martin typed Ben's code again, and read the next step out loud.  
"Flour, candied lemon peel, orange peel, cocoa, the honey mixture, the baking soda mixture and the gingerbread seasoning into a bowl, and then we need to knead until the dough is smooth."  
Benedict nodded and poured all the things together.   
Ultimately, Martin kneaded the dough; he washed his hands afterwards, while Benedict covered the dough with a cloth and put it aside.   
In an hour they could continue.

During the waiting, Martin and Benedict ate lunch, talked, listened to the music, cleaned up a bit and prepared the rest for the gingerbread house.  
They rolled out the dough, and cutted it into the different shapes.  
While the first pieces baked in the oven, Benedict fetched all the candy for the decoration out of the living room, while Martin filled the second baking plate.  
After fifteen minutes, they changed the plates, prepared the icing, and waited until the gingerbread plates were cooled down.   
And then, they finally built the house.  
"It's nothing one need to do very often, isn't it?" Martin said, when he added carefully the last plate.  
Benedict grinned at him.  
"I hope Matilda doesn't want this every year now."  
"Simon can do it next year, and we don't start this with our child." Martin grinned; he looked at the completed house, which they omly needed to decorate now.  
Benedict laughed, and took the icing and startet with the decoration.  
"We say that now."  
"Quite right." Martin smirked, and helped with the decoration.  
The two men decorated like mad. They placed gummy bears, chocolate, smarties and decorated only with the icing.

"Martin,... would you prefer a son or a daughter?" Ben asked, when he placed the last gummi bear on the roof.  
Martin raised his head, looked to Ben and bowed his head.  
"Let's write it down on a piece of paper, then we swap. Let's see whether we've the same opinion." Martin winked, and stood up from the bar stool.  
Martin took two post-it notes and two pens; he handed Benedict a note and a pen.  
"What do you think? Will we agree? " Martin grinned.  
"Hmmh, normally we have agree when it comes to important matters. Or it's almost the same opinion in a way. But now I can't decide, whether we will agree or not."  
Martin smiled, went to the kitchen counter and noted his whis, Benedict did the same at the kitchen island.  
They folded their notes and exchanged them.

Martin took Benedict's note.   
Benedict took Martin's paper.   
They opened together, and Martin as well as Benedict read the same word.

Son.

Martin and Benedict raised their heads, a warm smile flickered across their faces.  
Martin took the two stepps to Benedict, took his notes with shining eyes, went two steps back and pinned Benedict's and his piece of paper with a magnet on the fridge.  
His head turned back to Benedict.  
"It would be fantastic, if we could spent the next Christmas with our son." Martin said with a warm voice.  
Benedict smile and nodded; he reached out a hand to Martin, who came to him.  
They hugged each other.  
"That would be amazing." Ben muttered with loving voice into Martin's hair.


	97. Christmas Dinner

Benedict put the box with the penguins on the roof of the car; Martin, who had carried the basket with the gingerbread house opened the trunk; he put the basket into it, as well as the penguin box, which Benedict gave him. Martin took off his coat, put his coat to the two boxer, and took Bendict's jacket, which he handed him.   
Martin closed the trunk and got it with Benedict. He rubbed his hands together, and leaned back. 

Benedict started the engine, and the music played out of the radio.   
"I can drive back later, Benny. I don't need to drink tonight." Martin said to Benedict, and rubbed briefly across the dark jeans.  
Benedict turned his head briefly to him, and smiled gently.  
"Alright. Apropos drinking, we have forgotten the wine." Ben said.  
Martin rubbed again gently across Ben's thigh, and shook his head.  
"No, the wine is in my coat pocket, I didn't want to go back to the house." Martin smiled. "Everything is here. The wine, the gingerbread house and the appetizer." Martin added.  
"Thank goodness, that you're at my side, I'm lost without you." Ben smiled gently, and patted Martin's thigh.  
Martin grinned at him, squeezed gently Benedict's knees, and let his hand rest there.  
"It wouldn't have been that bad with the wine; Simon doesn't know that we bring wine. He wouldn't have missed him."  
Benedict grinned.

Martin turned his head to the window.   
It was completely dark; the wind rustled through the trees, and it still rained.   
Next Sunday, they would be together since one year.   
Martin could hardly believe how fast the time has passed, and what they had experienced together in this one year as a couple.  
Today, exactly one year ago, Ben had asked him if he would like to go to the Christmas market - their secret date. If someone would have told him back then what would happen after this Christmas market date, he wouldn't have believed it. And now he lived with Benedict in their house, and they were talking about children.   
His stomach tingled and he could feel his fast beating heart. 

 

Benedict parked the car after 20 minutes in front of Simons House; he patted lovingly Martin's thigh.  
'Hey littele dreamer,... we're here." Ben said with his warm and deep voice.  
Martin blinked a few times, and turned his head to Benedict.  
"Sorry." Martin smile; he ran his hand through his hair, and unbuckled.  
"What you're thinking about?" Benedict smiled, and unbuckled.  
"Over the last year... " Martin smiled, and opened the car door, as well as Benedict.  
Martin looked gently across the roof of the car to Benedict, slammed the door shut, and walked to the trunk with Ben.  
"Last year, on this day, you ask me out for the Christmas market." Martin said with a smile; he put his coat and slipped into it.  
"You remember the day when I ask you for a date on the Christmas market?" Ben smiled.  
"Yeah,... because I was at the airport when you called me. I was stuck there because of technical problems. I was on my way back from Puerto."  
"Oh yea, you complained a ' little bit ' about the technical problems." Ben smirked. "But it had seemed to be forgotten very quickly, because you had been able to talk with me, and you told me, that you loved it to hear my voice."  
"And I meant it like that." Martin smiled affectionately.  
Ben smiled gently, and took the basket out of the trunk.

They strolled with the basket and the penguin box to the house; Martin rang the bell with the elbow.   
Simon walked out of the kitchen into the hallway and opened the door. He smiled happily  
"Hey, totally on time. Come in." He stepped aside.  
Benedict and Martin entered the house, and Simon eyed them  
"What is all that? Come on let's go to the kitchen, then you can put it down." Simon said.  
"That'd be great." Martin smiled, and walked with Simon and Ben into the kitchen.  
The two men put down their box und the basket, slipped out of their shoes and jackets - and after that they hugged Simon.

Simon opened the box and grinned down on the penguins.  
"Aww, they look fantastic." He grinned, and tapped one of the penguins against the head, which wobbled dangerously.   
"You better be careful! Martin know them personally." Ben grinned.  
"Did I miss something?" Simon grinned to Ben.  
"He has given them names." Ben grinned, and Simon laughed.  
Martin grinned at the two.  
"Yes, that was Jimmy."He pointed to the penguin, which Simon had poked, and began to enumerate all the penguins from the beginning and pointed at them. " Max, Joe, Emma, Marcus, Gracie, Mike, Hannah, Jimmy, Graham, Oliver, Emily, Amy, Miranda, Sue, Arthur, Andy, Ralph, Julia and Phil and Bob." Martin ended with a grin.   
Simon laughed hearty and Benedict shook his head, grinning.  
"You have kept this nonsense in your mind?!"

Matilda already had heard the bell - and when she had heard the laughter from the kitchen, she sprinted down the stairs, along the hallway and into the kitchen.  
"Martin! Ben!" She smiled, and ran with open arms to them.  
"Heeeey." Ben smiled, and lifted she up on his arm.  
Matilda beamed, wrapped an arm around Benedicts neck and the other one around Martin's neck.  
Simon smiled, and started to unpack the penguins and the bread.  
"Finally!" Matilda hugged and kissed them.  
"We have a little gift for you." Martin smiled, and stroked her back.  
"Honestly? Show me, please." She beamed, and broke apart from Martin; she laid her other arm around Benedict, too.  
Martin went to the basket, and put the gingerbread house out of it.   
Simon looked as amazed as Matilda.  
"Did you do this for me?" Matilda asked with huge eyes.  
"Yes, we've made it for you today." Martik replied smilingly.  
"This is totally cool! Thank you." She beamed.  
"May I also eat something from it, honey?" Simon asked with an almost begging voice.  
"Hhmm... yeah, but just a very, very small piece, dad." She grinned at him.   
"You can you give me a bigger piece, then you don't get stomach pain." Simon tried with a smile.  
"I don't care if I have stomach ache. Then you always make me a hot water bottle, and you cuddle with me even more." She grinned from Benedict's arm to Simon.  
"We can cuddle, while we're eating it." Simon grinned after his next attempt.  
"I will decide that later, daddy." Matilda grinned.

Maureen came into the kitchen as well; she welcomed Benedict and Martin warmly, and looked around afterwards.  
"What is the negotiation about?" She smirked.  
"Your husband tried to get as much as possible f Matilda's gingerbread house." Martin grinned.  
Maureen smiled, looked at the house and then to Martin and Benedict.  
"That looks great. Did you do that? "She asked, and got a nod from Ben and Martin. She smiled at the two men and then to Simon. "Listen to your daughter, and you shouldn't eat too much candy, Simon."  
"The negotiations are not completed yet!" Simon grinned.

Benedict put Matilda down, who ran into the living roo; the others followed her.  
The table was already covered with plates, clutlery, glasses, with a bottle of water and a bottle of white wine and now the red wone of Ben and Martin. Music was playing ot out the radio.   
"Want do you want to drink?" Simon asked.  
"I take a water." Martin smiled.  
Simon took the water bottle.  
"And you Ben? I also have beer or something else.“  
"I'd take a white wine." Ben smiled.  
Simon nodded; he gave Martin a water and Benedict the white wine.

Matilda stood up from the couch, came to Martin and stopped next to him.   
Martin looked down to her, stroking her hair.  
"What's wrong, sweetheart?"  
"Are you playing with me until the food is ready?" She asked with a smile.  
"What do you want to play?" Martin smiled, and turned his head to Ben, who had stroked across his shoulder.  
"I go and help Maureen and Simon with the rest." Ben smiled; he squeezed Martin's shoulder, and went to the kitchen.  
Martin looked after him and then back to Matilda.  
"Okay, we're alone now,... what do you want to play, love?" He smiled gently.  
"Hide and seek, you count first." She smiled.  
"Okay, how long do you want me to count?"  
"Hmh" She made a thoughtful face and showed the thumb, the forfinger and the middle finger. "Three minutes" She grinned.  
"Jesus... really? Do you wanted to leave the country?" Martin grinned.  
"I can't do this in three minutes, Martin!" Matilda grinned. "When we bring dad to the airport or fetch him up, it always took much longer."  
"Okay, okay, I'm beaten. You've three minutes." Martin smirked Martin. He went to the sofa, sat down and closed his eyes. " I'm ready." He smiled and began to count in his head.

Matilda looked at him, watching him for a brief moment; she smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek, before she put her finger into her mouth and thought about a good place to hide. Martin was siling widely after the kiss.  
When Matilda had an idea, she walked on tiptoe out of the living room.  
Martin was sitting on the couch; his eyes were closed, and he slowly counted three times up to sixty, before he opened his eyes and peered behind the sofa.   
The place behind the sofa was empty.   
He stood up, looked around in the living room. He had listened very carefully when his eyes had been close, but he had been distracted by the noises in the kitchen.  
He scanned everything in the living room, but he couldn't find Matilda.   
He left the living room and opened the bathroom door downin the basement.   
No Matilda.   
H e walked into the kitchen, where Simon and Maureen and Benedict were still busy. 

Simon smiled at Martin and patted his arm.  
"You don't need to help, Martin. You can play with Matilda, she talked the whole day about you two."  
Martin smiled and looked at him.  
"Then don't bother me while I'm playing, Simon. I search for her." Martin grinned.  
Benedict grinned to Martin.  
"She's not here."  
"Oh come on, you're probably on her side." Martin grinned, and looked around.   
Benedict and Simon grinned.  
"Have fun, Martin. She is not here.', Maureen smiled.  
"I don't know if I can trust you, but I will continue on the first floor." Martin grinned, and left the kitchen.

Martin went upstairs.  
He took a minute  
Four rooms.  
He pondered, and opened Matildas room.   
The room was dark.   
Martin switched on the light, and looked around.   
He looked behind the curtains, under the table, in the wardrobe.  
Not Matilda.   
His eyes looked down to the bed.  
No Matilda.   
He shook his head, wanted to leave the room, but he walked back to the bed.

Martin knelt down next to the bed, bent down, and looked under the bed. His mouth moved upwards, the eyes lit up triumphantly. He lay down with his belly onto the ground, and stretched out his arm.  
Matilda laughed, when she saw Martin lying next to the bed on his little tummy.  
"Waaaaaaaah." She laughed. "The monster has found me."  
Martin laughed, slid a bit under the bed - but Matilda slipped away; she pressed her laughing body aginst the wall.  
"Just wait until I have you,... then the monster will eat you." Martin laughed even more.  
Matilda laughed happily, and fought with Martin, who was almost lying under the bed now.  
"Ohhh nooo,... are you a hungry monster?" She grinned.  
"Oh yeah, the hungriest monster of them all." Martin growled and rattled his teeth.  
Matilda laughed even more.  
"What's your favourite food, cute monster?"  
"Little princesses, with long blond hair, a pony-tail and green eyes." Martin growled, and rattled with his teeth again.  
Matilda laughed, and pressed her hand gently into Martin's face.  
Martin grinned against her hand. He blew against the plam of her hand.  
"Don't eat me! Can I tame you?" She grinned, and pulled on his nose.  
Martin laughed, and nodded slightly.  
"Yes, you can."  
Matilda looked at Martin, and nudged his nose with his forefinger.  
"Do oyu like kissing, cute monster?"  
Martin smiled and nodded.  
"Only if your name is Matilda. All others I will for breakfast."  
"Then I don't need to be scared of you, beacause my name is Matilda, cute monster." She grinned, kissed his cheek, and stroked over Martin's head, as if he would be a cute puppy. "Oh, lovely cute monsters, you are good as gold." She smiled, and Martin smiled, too.

The starters wer on the table, the other food was in the oven, and Benedict and Maureen sat already at the table. Simon was standing by the stairs.  
"Matilda. Martin. Dinner is ready!" He yelled softly.

Martin looked at Matilda; grinned, and rattled his teeth, again.  
"Oooh, the cute monster Martin doesn't like it, if someone scared him,... no I will you, anyway."  
He grabbed the laughing Matilda, and pulled her from beneath.  
Matilda struggled with her legs and arms. She laughed heartily, and when Martin stood up again, she hung immediatly over his left shoulder. Her legs dangled down in front of Martin's upper body, her head and upper body were hanging over his shoulder.   
"You're a vegetarian!" Matilda complained.  
"I will make an exception." Martin stated.  
And right after that, they began to laugh again.   
Martin walked down the stairs with her; he gnashed his teeth and rattled with his teeth, which made Matilda laugh even more. 

Simon, Maureen and Benedict looked up, when the laughter was growing louder and Martin and Matilda came into the living room.  
The girl who was hanging over Martin's shoulder still laughed heartily.  
"I brought my own food." Martin grinned.  
The three at the table laughed, while Matilda patted Martin's back.  
"The Monster will eat me because you scared it dad - I had tamed it!" She laughed.  
"The monster will get two baked apples later, if it spared my daughter." Simon grinned.  
Martin smirked; he let slide Matilda on his arm again, and winked.   
Matilda gave him a kiss onthe cheek, and stroked ober Martins hair.   
"Lovely cute monster. You're doing fine." She grinned, got a kiss from a smirking Martin.  
And afterwards he sat Matilda onto her chair.

Matilda had a completely red head and ruffled hair from the effort and also Martin's cheeks were slightly flushed.  
Martin looked smiled to others, who were smirking. He took a seat next to Matilda.  
Benedict smiled at Martin; he had enjoyed the picture with him and Matilda - his heart was beating very fast, and his stomach tingled like mad.  
Martin looked to Ben; his yes sparkled softly, and he winked at him.

And then they all clinked glasses to a beautiful Christmas time.


	98. Playmate

In the living room, the light was dimmed.  
In the meantime Simon, Maureen, Matilda and their guests Martin and Benedict sat on the sofas.  
They had enjoyed their food and the dessert, and inbetween, they had play Ludo.  
The music was still playing in the background, and the atmosphere was quite cozy and comfortable and relaxed as always when they met each other - which unfortunately didn't happen as often as they would like.   
In the last minutes they had talked about New Years Eve - and Martin and Benedict would spend it wit Simon, Maureen, Matilda, Amanda, Nick and his wife and son, again.

Matilda had been silent the whole time; she had just cuddled with Benedict, who was a really great cuddle partner.   
Simon smiled to them; he looked to Matilda, who had alrea seen Simon's look and knew what was coming now. She looked to her father, who smiled with warm eyes.  
"It's shortly after 10 o'clock, darling, it's time for bed. You can change and brush your teeth, I'm with you in a tick."  
Matilda sighed; she was really tired, but she didn't want to go to bed - Martin and Ben were still here, and she would love to enjoy that a bit longer. She wrapped her arms more around Benedict, sighed resignedly.  
"Ben shall come with me." She said.  
Simon smiled and opened his arms for a big hug.  
"Then say good night to me, love."  
Matilda smiled to him, and looked back to Ben, who smiled and nodded.  
"I will come with you." He stroked her back.  
"Great." she smiled, and jumped from the sofa.  
She went to Simon, hugged him, exchanged a kiss with him, and enjoyed his good night whispering and his I love you whisperin - and of course she told him the same with a big smile. After that she went to Maureen - the same procedure; a loving hug, a loving kiss, and loving words. Finally, she went to Martin, who was sitting on the edge of the sofa. She grinned at him, wrapped his arms around his neck and pressed him a kiss on the cheek.  
"Good night cute monster." She grinned.  
"Good night, princess." He rattled his teeth, grinned and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Have fun in school tomorrow."  
"I'm not scared of you." Matilda laughed. and hugged him again, before they break apart.  
Benedict stood up and exchanged a gentle look with Martin, who winked at Benedict.  
Ben and Matilda left the living room.

Matilda went to the bathroom, used the loo and brushed her teeth, while Ben was waiting in her bedroom. After that she came to Ben and changed her clothes, and the she slipped under the blanket, and beamt up to Ben.  
"When will meet again? Next weekend? " She asked smilingly.  
Ben bowed his head smilingly, and stroked her hair behind her ear.  
"We can't next weekend,... I would love to spend the next weekend with Martin, just the two of us - because next weekend we are already a whole a couple, and I would love to share this day with Martin. At New Year's Eve we will se us at the latest." Ben smiled.  
"Oh great, then you need to do something really special with Martin." She smiled.  
"We will, and on New Year's Eve we three will meet again."  
"Yep, and then we can play together. I'm glad you come here today." She smiled, and yawned.  
Benedict smiled, stroked her hair and covered her properly. He leaned down to her and gave her a gentle kiss on his temple.  
"It was great to see you today, sweetheart. Sleep well and have lovely dreams."  
"Yessss, it was great! Sleep well later, Ben." She smiled, and gave him a kiss on the cheek.  
Benedict smiled and nodded. He stroked her cheek, stood up slowly, nudged her nose again, which made Matilda grin - and then he walked back to the door.  
They waved - and then Ben turned off the light, closed the door and went back into the living room.

Simon just sipped his beer, Maureen poured white wine in her glass again, and Martin turned his head to Benedict, when he entered the room again.   
Benedict smiled to him, came to the sofa and sat down next to his partner, who pressed his thigh.   
Martin smiled at him, bowed his head slightly - a question lay in his eyes. Benedict returned the smile, and nodded barely noticeable.  
Simon looked at them, and raised his eyebrows.  
"Why are you two looking at each other like that?" Maureen asked, and Simon asked his own question afterwards.  
"Is there anything that we need to talk about?"  
Benedict took his red wine from the coffee table, sipped at it and smiled to Simon - he exchanged afterwards a look with Martin, who nodded this time, and turned his head to Simon and Maureen.  
"There is something, actually." Martin said.  
Simon made a gesture that he should go on. He looked at the two with curiousity. Maureen was sitting on the sofa like a cat on hot bricks.  
"We wanted to tell you, that we... would love to adopt a child." Martin smiled.

Simon almost choked on his beer; he had just sipped.   
Maureen bowed his head, smiled at the two men on the other couch.   
Simon coughed, put down his beer and looked at Martin and Benedict.  
"Bloody hell. Whenever you are here and bring food with you, you've fucking big news." He bowed his head. Across his face spread a huge and truthful smile., his eyes sparkled to his friends. "A child,... a family?" He asked.  
Martin smiled to him and nodded.  
"Hmh, a joint family."  
" I haven't really expected anything, but now I'm flabbergasted. Theses are really great and awsome news." He smiled warmly and honestly the two men.  
Maureen smiled really happily too.  
"I can only agree with my husband. It's amazing."  
"Martin. Ben. This is awesome. I love it. How long are you thinking about that?" Simon asked smilingly.  
"Since our holiday, and we've talked about it after our weekend with Matilda." Martin smiled, and Benedict smiled to Simon and his wife as well. 

Simon lifted his beer bottle again, and drank a little. Benedict twirled his glass of wine in his hand. Martin leaned forward to the coffee table and took his glass of water.  
"I can imagine that incredibly well! You two as parents. I think you two would be amazings dads. Jesus, I'm so happy for you. Have you already researched?"  
"Yeah, we have." Ben smiled. "We wanted to take are of it at the beginning of the next year." He twirled his glass again. "It's great that you two are happy for us. Thank you." He smiled at the end.  
"Very happy, Benedict" Maureen beamed. "We both think, that you two fit really good together; it's so lovely to see you as a couple, and we're glad, that there is the same chemistry like in your friendship. And we looking forward to next year, when three of you will visit us."  
Benedict and Martin smiled to Maureen.   
And then they turned their heads to each other again. They smiled gently at each other; Benedict rubbed gently across Martin's thigh, and sipped at his wine.

Simon smiled with his beer in his hand; he was very happy for his friends. He had loved the news last year on New Year's Eve; it was so lovely to see them together, because there behaved with each other so lovely and naturally - they make each other truly happy. And he had been very happy, when Ben had moved in. But this message today was the cherry on the cake. He knew how much they both wanted to have a family and children, and it made him happy, that they had found this with each other - in each other. Especially, because he was absolutely convinced that they both would be such amazing good dads and parents. He beamed to Martin and Ben again.  
"Will someone crawl and toddle around here at some point or will someone run and play with Matilda in the house and the garden?"  
"Someone will run with Matilda through your house and your garden." Martin smiled.  
"So, no Freebatchbaby." Simon grinned.  
Benedict and Martin grinned.  
"Is it called Freebatch?" Benedict asked with a grin.  
"Yes." Simon grinned. "Some people also call you Cumberman."  
"That sounds like an action figure." Martin smirked. "And to your question, there will be no 'Freebatch' baby. You're half a year older than me and you've a seven-year old daughter, and I also would love to be able to run with my kid through the garden, and fool around as much as possible. And fortunately, Benedict can also imagine an older child." He turned his head with a smile to Benedict.

Benedict winked at him gently, patted Martin's knee.   
Maureen smiled.  
"The knee of your pants will be grass green again, when you fool around in the garden." She grinned. "Will Matilda get a male best friend or a female best friend, or is this still open?"  
Martin smiled to Ben, and pressed his knee, to give him the signal that it is okay for him to tell them.   
Benedict enjoyed Martin's hand, and smiled to Maureen.  
"A male best friend."  
"Matilda and too many nieces, Martin?" Simon smirked, and then looked to Benedict. "Why would you love to have a son?" He smirked.  
Martin grinned - Simon was right, these were two reasons why he would love to have a son.  
Ben grinned to Simon.  
"I've got the choice,... and probably no one would be allowed to date my daugther, I would protect her too much." Ben grinned truthfully.  
"Yeah, that would be argument number three for me." Martin grinned.  
"I had no choice - so I will frisk, check, observe, each boy or girl in a few years who will date my daughter - and I will eliminate this person if he or her will lay a finger on my daughter or will makeher cry." Simon grinned.  
Maureen laughed, slapped her husband against the upper arm, and looked to Benedict and Martin, who were also laughing.  
"We'll never have grandchildren, because after the first disappeared boy or girls, everyone will be afraid of Matildas dad."   
"Before she didn't turn twenty, touching isn't allowed anyway!" Simon grinned.  
Martin laughed heartily.  
"I don't know whether I want to let our boy playing with your daugther, when you frisk him and all that stuff."  
"I make an exception for your boy." Simon grinned.  
"I don't know if this really calmed me down now." Martin grinned.  
Simon grinned at him.

Bendict laid an arm around Martin's shoulder, who cuddled against Ben's body and laid his left hand on his knee; the thumb stroked gently back and forth.  
"There's something else, we wanted to talk about with you, or... especially with you Simon." Martin smiled.  
Simon raised an eyebrow, looked questioningly at Martin.  
"We wanted to ask you something. We need three people who write an assessment, about us, whether we are suitable to be parents, or whether we shouldn't be parents. We would love if you would be one of these three people, Simon. You know Benedict for a few years now, and we knew each other for a very long time,... and well, you know, how I am with your daughter. We don't know when you need to write this, or how much you need to write, but it's probably not just one page,... and they would talk with you personally. You don't have to say yes or no now, you can think about it, and maybe you can tell us you're decision on New Year's Eve." Martin said softly.  
Simon listened to him; his brow dropped down, he put the beer onto the table and looked at Martin and Benedict.  
"Guys, honestly. I don't need to overthink this one fucking second. Of course I agree. No matter if I have to write a book about you and need to answer 1000 questions. My answer is yes. I would love to help you, every time, not just with that. You're my friends, two of my best friends - your question is nothing I need to overthink." He smiled warmly.

Martin and Benedict bowed their heads with a smile.  
"Thank you Simon!" They said unisono.  
"It's great that you're doing it." Martin smiled afterwards.  
"Of course! I will be able to write them a really thick book about you being fantastic parents. I'm really sure, that you two will be fucking amazing parents. When I just see you with Matilda, Martin. She loves you since she was a baby, you have been always a great babysitter, the best, to be honest - for a few hours, for a night,... an you're the best solace weapon. And in a duo it's even better. She loves you two, she really raves about you two. She had loved the day in the zoo and the night with you two; Jesus, she had told us every little detail of this day, at some point Maureen and I weren't quite sure any longer, if we really haven't been there as well, because she told it in so much detail. And today, we had been written off already in the morning - she talked just about you guys throughout the day." Simon smiled warmly.  
"Thank you for the compliments." Martin and Benedict smiled.  
Simon smiled and bowed his head.  
"It is the truth." Simon smiled. "I... or to be precise" He looked briefly to Maureen " we are there at any time you need our help or support."  
"Thank you,... both of you. A really big thank you." Ben smiled, and Martin nodded next to him.   
"Let's have toast, guys, before I rave about you any longer." He grinned softly, and got a grin from Ben and Martin as well. "Let's have toast on your next step and your relationship." Simon smiled gently.

Simon raised his beer bottle, Maureen her white wine, Benedict raised the red wine, and Martin raised the glass of water.   
They leaned forward, clinked glasses with huge smiles, and sipped at their drinks.

"Matilda will be happy about a playmate, who's coming from both of you." Simon smiled.


	99. A Christmas market date

In Potters Bar Ben just came out of the shower; he grabbed a fresh towel and rubbed over his upper body, his arms, and legs, and his hair. He hung the towel next to Martins, which he had used in the morning.   
Ben walked into the bedroom, where he took a fresh boxer brief ou of the dresser as well as socks - he slipped into both things.  
And then he went into the walk-in closet, in which hung a lot of different T-shirts, polo shirts, sweaters and jumpers, shirts and suits, jeans and trousers - and a lot of shoes and accessories. One could find Martin's clothes, as well as his own clothes - it wasn't ordered by the owner, it was ordered by the kind of clothing, shoes and accessories.  
He knew what belonged to him, or which clothes from Martin fit him as well.  
Today, he would have a date with Martin on the Christmas market.

It was like a deja-vu - last year had he stood at home and had searched through his clothes like in a boutique. He had tried different shirts, jumpers, sweaters, jeans and trousers - in different combinations and with differnts shoes and jackets. He had almost spent two hour in his dressing room, until he had decided to wear a shirt and a pair of jeans.   
Benedict looked around, and turned away from the shirts and jumpers and sweaters; he walked to the trousers and jeans - maybe he should start here. A pair of jeans, a cloth trouser, a totally different pants? He searched through all his jeans and trousers, gave up after a few minutes and went back to shirts and sweaters and jumpers.  
Last year he had been on the date with a shirt - an he had frozen, maybe he should try it this time with a sweater or jumper.   
He searched through his things, and pondered which of these Martin liked the most. 

A grey knit sweater found its way into Benedict's hand, but he put him back immediately, when he remembered that he had worn it on their last date.   
He sighed and searched again.   
Ultimately, he grabbed a white T-Shirt, pulled it over his head and then took a blue-grey knitted jumper from one of the hangers and slipped into. It was a jumper Martin really liked. He looked again through his jeans and trousers, and took a grey one in the end.   
When he was dressed, he went back into the bathroom. He stood in front of the mirror, styled his hair and pondered a moment whether he should shave or not. He decided against it, he knew that Martin liked it when it scratched while kissing or when he could feel teh stubble during caressing his cheeck with the hand, or during rubbing chee against cheek. At the end he took some perfume.  
In the hallway, he put on his shoes, took his blue jacket and pocketed even his mobile phone and a wallet before he left the House.  
He walked to the station.

 

Martin had taken fresh clothes with him today.   
After the play in the afternoon, he had showered in the theatre. He was dressed in a white shirt with a blue sweater and a dark jeans.  
He left his bag in the room with his costume. He just took his key, his wallet and his mobile phone, and then left the theater. Tomorrow he would be in the theatre again, and then he would take the ba home with him.   
Ian was just about to write autographs for the waiting fans and turned his head to the door when the fans began to scream Martin's name.   
Martin smiled to them, just raised his hand, and excused himself by saying that he had unfortunately no time today, before he went to the tube.   
Ian and martin had said goodbye before Martin had took a shower; he knew that Martin and Benedict were having a date at the Christmas market. 

Martin walked to the tube and drove to the Hyde Park station.  
He walked towards the Christmas market.   
It was already dark outside, the lights from the Christmas market glowed in the dark, from a distance, one could hear Christmas music and some people were strolling towards the Cristmas market with him - young couples, older couples, friends and families.  
Martin was nervous; his heart was racing, the stomach tingled pleasantly - he felt like last year, when they had met here for a not so secretly date.  
Las year they hadn't seen each other a few month, at least not properly - just via FaceTime or Skype. And when he had seen Ben, and Ben had hugged him gently, he had just been able to mutter a low hello into Bens coa.  
It was the same feeling today - pure happiness and exictement, a stomach full of butterflies, a racing heart and weak knees.

From the distance, Martin saw the man with whom he had this date tonight.   
Benedict stood at the entrance of the Christmas market and waited for his partner.   
A beam spread on Martin's face; his pace became faster.  
Benedict looked into Martins direction, and when he saw him a huge smile flickered across his face.  
Martin stopped in front of Ben; he looked up to him - his eyes beamed warmly through his glasses.  
"Ben." He breathed with a warm voice  
"Martin." Benedict beamed,a nd his heart was racing even more.  
Martin smiled broadly, fumbled at Benedicts open jacket, and slid with his arms into it; he wrapped them around Benedict's back and hugged him affectionately.  
Benedict smiled, put his arms around Martin's neck, pressed him gently closer, and closed his eyes.   
Martin snuggled closer and caressed across Benedict's back.  
"I'm just as nervous as last year." He muttered into Bens jumper. "But this time, I'm able to say a bit more, than just a low hello. I love your outfit, you look gorgeous,... and... " He breathed Ben in. "hmm, you smell very good. It's really nice to see you and I am really looking forward to that date with you, Benedict." Martin muttered against the jumper. He stretched upwards, stood on his tiptoes, and breathed a loving kiss on Ben's stubbly cheek. He snuggled his own cheek against Benedict's scratchy one. "Hmmmm, and unshaven... perfect outfit." He pressed a tender kiss on Ben's cheek.  
Benedict had smiled all the time. Martins compliments and his words had made his butterflies even busier, and his heart almost freaked out. He pressed him closer.  
"Thank you, Martin. I am also very happy that we have a date now. I'mlooking forward to it eve since you invited me." He mumbled into Martin's ear, and breathed him in. "Hmmm, and I like this perfume."He smiled, and kissed the ear gently. "And I love it that you wear your glasses." He still hugged Martin. "And I really llove this shirt with the sweater,... and I'm in love with those jeans." He flirted with Martin. His hands caressed from Martin's neck, across his spine, to his butt. He grabbed it gently and firmly. "I love your butt in it.“

Martin smiled at Benedict's cheek, purred softly, when Benedict grabbed his butt.  
"You haven't said this last year - that my butt looks good in it. I wear the same jeans now." Martin flirted back.  
"I haven't said anything, but I have thought it the whole evening. These jeans and your butt, were also the only reason why I always quequed u behind you." Ben purred.  
"Everything is quite clear to me now." Martin smirked, and breathed Ben a kiss on the mouth.   
Benedict smiled gently, pressed Martin with his hands in his butt closer; they captured their lips for a loving kiss.  
Martin's hands slid from Benedict's back, down to his butt; he gently pushed his hands in the pockets. His eyes were closed, and he really enjoyed the loving kiss with Benedict.  
They broke apart slowly, loosened their hands from the but of the other, and entwined their fingers with each other.   
Martin smiled and winked, and strolled with him onto on the Christmas market.

The couple walked with holding hands through the streets of the Christmas market. They stopped at one of the first food stalls.   
Martin paid his fish and chips and Benedict's bratwurst, and they searched for a free table.   
Martin put down his bowl and took the plastic fork.   
"You shouldn't go into the dressing room later." Ben smirked before he bit in the sausage.  
Martin smirked to him, a piece of fish was poked on his fork.  
"What have you done, love?“  
"Not cleared away all my stuff. I was thinking about what to wear tonight, and then I was a bit in a hurry." Benedict said after he had swallowed.  
Martin smirked softly, while he was chewing and swallowing.  
"Last year, I was thinking about a few hours. It had felt like I had tried all my stuff from the dressing room." He winked to Ben. "It was somehow a waste of time, wasn't it. I mean our jackets were closed because it was fucking cold, and our hair looked like shit after a few minutes, because of the snow." Martin smiled gently, and put the fork into his mouth again.  
"Oh, your butt in those jeans was enough for me, and I one had seen him very very good." Ben smirked softly, while he was eating.  
Martin grinned broadly.  
"Then I have reached my goal with my outfit last year."  
"What goal?" Ben smirked.  
"Try to get off with you and to flirt with you. Of course very... subtle." Martin flirted.  
"Then your outfit had more than reached his goal." Benedict winked.  
Martin nodded smilingly.

After dinner, the couple strolled again across the Christmas market - slowly.   
They looked at the stands, stopped at some a bit longer. Martin bought burnt almonds for both of them. With the bag in his hand, they leaned at the barrier of the ice skating area - they supported their forearms on the barrier. Martin held the almonds to Ben, who took a couple of the burnt almonds, and gave Martin a kiss on the temple.  
"Thank you, hun."  
Martin nodded and smiled.  
"This time it is even more beautiful to be here with you. Last year I was too nervous the whole time. We hadn't seen each other in a long time, but we had flirted with each other really often, and it had become more and more intense. I was so excited to see you again, to spend the evening with you, to have you near me, to watch you laugh and smile, to be hugged by you. I was really looking forwards just to the greeting, because I knew, that you would hug me. And even though I complained so much about the bad and cold weather, I just loved it to be with you. You just needed to look at me and my heart beat faster, the knees went soft as pudding, and my stomach began to tingle like mad. And my heart and my knees and all the butterflies almost freaked out every time you touched me "accidentally". And I rather won't tell you now, that you can cause all this as fast as last year.“

Benedict had turned his head to Martin; he had listened to his words, had enjoyed them immensely - he slipped closer to him, and kissed Martins head  
"Oh Martin, you can't imagine how fast you're able to bring my heart to a point where I think it will freak out every second, you can't imagine how much you can make my stomach tingle or my knees soft as pudding. And I felt all this last year as well, Martin. And because I wanted to have you near me as long as possible, I offered you to drive you home." He kissed Martin's temple. "Today I like it much more, now I can stand here and snuggle with you, and I can make out with you, I could just kiss you the whole time, I could just touch you the whole time. And I can tell you, that I love you very much." he whispered lovingly into Martin's ear.  
Martin had closed his eyes, smiled and cuddled more against Ben.  
"Would my beloved hubby fancy a round of ice skating with me?" Martin breathed him a kiss on the ear.  
"It would be an honour, sweetheart." Benedict smiled at Martin's ear.  
Martin broke apart slowly, and smiled up lovingly. He put the almonds into his jacket pocket, took Benedicts hand, and took him to the ice skating rental.   
Benedict get a taller pair of shoes, Martin smaller ones.   
They put on the shoes, and walked to the ice rink.

Martin smiled, and stepped with Ben onto the ice rink.   
Benedict grabbed Martins hand, and they entwined their fingers.   
On the ice rink, one could hear other music than which one was able to hear on the rest of the Christmas market. Colorful lights illuminated the ice floor, and in the middle of the ice rink stood a tall and thick Christmas tree, which was decorated with colorful christmas bulbs and golden lights.  
Martin pressed Benedict's hand, and caressed with his thumb the cold hand. Benedict had reddened cheeks, a red nose and ears.   
"Where did you learn ice skating?" Ben asked smilingly; he retured the soft caresses with his own thumb.  
"As a child. There was a small lake in the near, well it was likely a bigger pond, which was always frozen during winter. We've got into trouble with my mother every year, because it wasn't really safety - but we done it anyway. And then she took our ice skating shoes. But a year later, we done it again, and well, then she locked the shoes away again." Martin grinned.   
Benedict laughed.  
"The punishment was probably not hard enough, or you all had been just completely resistant against it."  
"Rather the second one." Martin smirked.  
Benedict grinned broadly.

They skated across the ice, and were to eating the burnt almonds in between.  
"A pity, that it was closed last year due to the much snow." Ben said.  
"Hmmm, that came at an very inconvenient time. I had worked out such a great tactic at home."  
"What had you wanted to do?" Benedict asked skeptically.  
Martin turned his head to him and smiled. Before he could say anything, a crashed a bit into Benedict, to not crash into a woman, who had just stopped abruptly. He stumpled a bit, and almost fell down, but Ben grabbed him tightly, and saved him. Martin turned his head briefly to the woman, who just drive calmly to the barrier now - he turned his head back to Ben.  
"Thank you, honey. Um, well,... I thought the skating would be a good opportunity to get a bit closer to you, to feel more of you. I wanted to pretend that I can't skate, and I wanted to ask you, if you can teach me. You would have hold my hand,... but well, it didn't work out because of the snow." Martin smiled.  
Benedict smiled gently.  
"I'm sure I would have believed you. So your tactic would have worked out quite well. And I would have loved to hold hands with you." Ben winked gently.  
Martin smiled broadly, and squeezed Benedict's hand.

And then they drove to the barrier.  
Martin grabbed the collar of Bens open jacket, pulled him down, rubbed his cold nose acorss Benedict's.   
Ben smiled gently, put his arms around Martin, and closed his eyes slowly, when he felt Martin's lips on his. He purred into the kiss, hugged him, and parted his lips as soon as Martin licked across his lower lip - he could taste the almonds and the mulled wine.

 

After their ice skating session, they strolled again across the Christmas market. They strolled through small streets, passed the colourfully decorated stalls - everywhere it smelled like apples, cinnamon, nuts, chocolate, alcohol, or savory treats.  
They stopped at a crêpe stall, which was next to a small orchestra, which played Christmas music.   
"What would you like to drink?" Martin asked smilingly after they had agreed that they would share a crêpe with egg liqueur, Nutella and banana.  
"I would take another mulled wine." Benedict smiled. He stood behind Martin, and wrapped his arms around Martin's neck.  
"Could you look if a bar table is free, sweetheart."  
Benedict placed a kiss on Martin's hair.  
"You could go and look for a table,... otherwise you pay again and you've paid the whole evening, yet."  
"Honey, I have invited you on that date. Don't be ridiculous, love." He leaned against Ben. "Give me a kiss and then find us a place so sit or to stand." He smiled warmly.  
Benedict sighed, and pressed a kiss on Martin's hair, before he broke apart and search a free table.

Martin waited in queue for their drinks and their food.   
He got a small tray, with the three three ordered things and two plastic forks on it - and then he walked to Benedict.  
He put the tray onto the table, from which they could see the playing orchestra quite well.  
Benedict smiled to him,  
"That was quick.“  
"Yes, the people in frot of me were a group, and just the girl had ordered something." Martin smiled; he shoved the plate in the middle, and handed Bend one of the forks. 

They ate, drank their mulled wine, and listened to the Christmas music.   
Martin's right hand was slipped into the right butt pocket.   
Benedict poked the last piece of their crêpe - Martin had pushed the plate to him.  
Martin was warming up his left hand on his hot mug, and listened to the orchestra. He really enjoyed the evening - it was their first Christmas market visit as a couple; last year they hadn't been on the Christmas market again, after the first disastrous visit. He was very pleased to be able to enjoy the Christmas time with Benedict, this time without holding back something or hiding something.   
And they would spend Christmas together this year, just the two of them. Afterwards they would visit their families. And then they would start they year 2017 at Simon's place, with some friends.

 

But before they would celebrate Christmas, they would enjoy their first anniversary on Sunday.


	100. Anniversary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter of the first episode.  
> The second part of this story will publish at the beginnig of the next week - latest on Saturday. So maybe there will be a one week hiatus.
> 
> I will try to update the second part every day as well. :-)
> 
> Thanks for reading the first part of this almost book long story.
> 
> Love,  
> Martin

Benedict and Martin started the second advent and their anniversary cozy and comfortably.   
The two men were still lying in bed under the blanket.   
Martin lay on his back, and Benedict lay above him. Beneict snuggled on Martin's upper body; the arms were wrapped around Martin's neck, and his face was pressed into the crook of the neck. Martin's right hand caressed Benedict's spine, the neck the hair - slightly and tenderly with his fingertips and fingernails.   
Benedict purred deeply, pressed his face even more into Martin's crook of the neck, and breathed him in. He sighed when Martin started to play with the strands of his hair; he cuddled even closer, when Martins hand ran through his hai.  
Martin's hand ran out of Benedict's hair, massaged across each shoulder and caressed to Benedict's back.   
The forefinger stroked a line.  
"Why are you drawing lines on my back?" Ben muttered.  
Martin smiled, rubbed across Benedict's back and pressed a kiss into his soft hair.  
"It will be a few words."  
"Oh, I haven't paid attention properly. Can you start again?" Ben mumbled.  
"Yes, I begin again." Martin smiled.

Martin rubbed lovingly across the bare back and pulled down the blanket down to Benedict's hips. The fore finger drew again a straigt line onto Ben's spine.  
"An I." Ben smiled.  
"Exactly, necxt word, honey." Martin smiled, and kissed Ben's hair.

After a brief pause, his forefinger drew a straight line again, and then a straight line from the left to the right.  
"This is a L, sweetheart.“  
Martin smiled and drew a circle. And Ben shivered pleasantly, goosebumps spread across his back  
"That was an O." He purred.  
Martin smiled and nodded; he kissed Benedict's hair again, and began to draw the next letter - two diagonal lines from the top to the bottom; one from the the left side to the bottom, and one from the right side to the bottom.  
"Hmh Martin, a V, that was a V. I think I know the word, but please go ahead, this is beautiful." Ben purred gently.  
Ben's eyes were closed; he snuggled up to Martin and he enjoyed this game.   
He felt Martin's finger again. A straight soft line from the top to the bottom, and three lovingly vertical line from the straight line to the right.  
"E. love. I love... " Benedict smiled widely.

"New and last word, darling." Martin muttered into Benedict's hair.  
Benedict waited eagerly, whether the expected letter was drawn right on his back or whether Martin would fool around and the final word would be something like sleep, food or sex.  
Benedict's heart began to pound against his rib cage and his stomach tingled when he felt Martin's forefinger on his back, which drew the letter he had for.  
"Y."  
Goosebumps spread across Ben's back again, when Martin drew a circle again.  
"O."  
Martin kissed Ben's head, and he drew softly and tenderly the last letter onto Benedicts back.  
"U." Ben said happily. "I love you!" He said gently and warmly with his dark and deep voice.   
"I love you too, Benny." Martin muttered with his warm voice into Benedict's hair.  
"You're a nutcase, Martin." Ben smirked, and he could feel that Martin was grinning broadly.  
Benedict bit into Martin's crook of the neck, and then his kissed the spot with a grin.   
Martin purred roughly. 

Ben distributed several kisses on Martin's neck. he broke apart afterwards and sat up. He knelt between Martin's angled legs, who was lying in front of him with a grey T-shirt and a plaid pajama pants with beaming eyes.  
Ben smiled, and patted gently Martin's chest.  
"Come on, let's shower. I invite you to a late breakfast in London, darling." Ben winked gently.  
"Oh, that sounds great." Martin beamed.  
He sat up, raised his hand, and stroked over Benedict's cheek.   
Ben smiled gently, turned his head and kissed the palm of Martin's hand, who closed his eyes in relish. He cupped Martin's face with both hands, and kissed his forehead lovingly.   
Martin smiled wildely, and after a shared tender kiss, they both stood up.

And as always when they share a shower they needed much longer - a lots of kisses and caresses this time.

 

It was cold outside, almost icy, even though the sund was shining from a cloudless sky.  
Martin threw his jacket and his scarf in the back of the car, where also Benedicts jacket and scarf was lying.   
They both got in, and Martin turned on the heater, while Ben drove off to London.  
Martin leaned back, turned his head to his partner and eyed him - he was focusing on the street, and listened to the Christmas song.  
Martin was deep down his his thoughts; he couldn't believe that actually a whole year had passed. They had gotten to know each other again - more intense, more intimate and on a daily basis. And he was glad that they hadn't lost a single piece of their deep friendship.  
Benedict turned his head to Martin; he smiled softly when he saw Martin's dreamy face - he knew, Martin was deep down in his thoughts. He looked back to the road - just absolutely thankful to have a partner like Martin at his side.

They hadn't spoken much with each other during their trip to London - they had both been deep down in their thoughts.   
Martin leaned to Ben when they had parked. He smiled at him, kissed him softly, and got a smile and a kiss back from Ben.  
"Do you fancy a little stroll after our brunch?" Martin asked smilingly.  
Ben nodded, and purred, after Martin's second kiss.  
"And then we enjoy our anniversary, the remaining Sunday, the 2nd Advent... comfortably at home, just the two of us?" Ben asked, and breathed a kiss on Martins lips.  
"Hmmmm. Yes,... bathtub, cooking, fireplace." Martin breathed against Benedict's lips.   
"Sounds like a very lovely day." Ben purred.  
They exchanged another last and gentle kiss, before they got out of the car.  
They slipped into their jackets, wrapped their scarves around their necks, took each other by the hand, and walked to the Founders Arms. 

When they arrived at the Founders Arms, they loosened their scarves and opened their jackets again. They searched a table, and when they had found one, they hung up their jackets and scarves and took a seat.  
When a waitress came to them, they ordered tea, coffee and water, and looked through the menu card.  
They both ordered a croissant with jam, natural yogurt with fruits and cereals, as well as the English breakfast - Martin in the vegetarian version.  
The two men enjoyed their late breakfast, talked with each other and before Benedict paid and they left, they enjoyed a piece of cake and a cappuchino.

Their stomaches were full when they strolled along the Thames.  
"Thank you for the invitation." Martin beamed up to his partner.  
"My pleasure, sweetheart." Ben beamed down, and squeezed Martin's hand.  
Martin smiled; he enjoyed the stroll with Benedict.  
"It's crazy, that a whole year had passed." Ben said softly, and Martin turned his head back to him.  
"Yes, that's true. The year had passed really quickly, and a lot of things had happened in this year - new things, exciting things, good things, bad things."  
"Hmh, especially a lot of new things." Ben said smilingly.  
"And a few new things are waiting for us. The new year will be exciting." Martin smiled softly.  
"I don't doubt that." Ben smiled. 

 

Their way led them along the Thames; and when they had walked back, they had stopped atthe Founders Arms again - for a coffee and a piece of cake, which they had shared.  
It was shortly after 4 pm, when Ben drove off to Potters Bar.  
After about an hour, they reached their house again - it had already began to dawn when they had left London, now the sun wasn't to see anymore. It was dark, and when Ben drove in teh driveway of their house, the lights lit up. 

Martin unbuckled, and before Benedict could get out of the car, he grabbed his wrist.  
Ben turned his head to him and looked at him with questioning eyes. Martin smiled, pulled him back, wrapped his arms around Benedict and hugged him lovingly.  
"Thank you for the great day,... and for the drive back home. Do you want to stay until breakfast?“ Martin murmured into Ben's ear, and a soft kiss followed.  
Benedict returned his hug tenderly; he was smiling broadly.  
"I think I said, that I would love to come in, when I'm allowed to warm me up."  
"Hmmm, and you took a shower." Martin smiled, and still hugged Ben.  
"Hmh, I think we can change that bit. I mean you changed a bit as well, you already asked me in the car this time. So we could warm up together this time,... in the bathtub." Benedict smiled gently.  
"Sounds lovely." Martin kissed Ben's ear. "And you will stay much longer again?" Martin asked gently.  
"Yes, I will stay longer."  
"How long?" Martin asked with a whisper.  
"For now until I need to fly away again. But I will come back." Ben smiled, and kissed Martin's cheek.  
"Sounds very good. I think we can get out now." Martin hugged him again tightly, before he slowly broke apart.  
They smiled at each other, and then they got ot of the car.

A few minutes later, Benedict and Martin entered the bathroom, where Ben turned on the water.  
The water splashed into the bathtub, while Martin and Benedict helped each other with their clothes.  
Martin undressed Bendict slowly and with a lot of caresses and kisses on the upper body.  
And Benedict undressed Martin, as well with a lot of caresses and kisses on the upper body - andhe kissed his hair, and he grabbed his butt a few times.  
They enjoeyed it, and both bodies were covered with goose bumps.  
They broke apart after they had exchanged naked a few small kisses.

Benedict turned off the water; he got in, leaned back and waited for Martin to come in.  
Martin smiled down with loving eyes; he got in, sat down between Ben's angled legs, and he leaned back against Benedict's chest. He laid his head against the collarbone, and immediately he felt two strong and long arms, which pulled him into a protectivly hug, and he could feel a soft kiss in his hair.   
Martin closed his eyes, and he began to sigh when Ben's hands caressed his little tummy, his chest and his arms - with the whole hands, the tips of the fingers and the fingernails.   
Gently and softly; just a breath and with pressure; crawling and scratching.  
Martin purred, cuddle up on Benedict, enjoyed the tenderness - he drifted quickly into a completely relaxed state.  
"Can we order takeaway,... I'm getting more and more lazy." Martin mumbled with a warm and low voice. His eyes were still closed, and his body was covered with goose bumps, even though he sat in the warm water.  
Benedict smiled gently, and pressed a kiss on Martin head, who sighed and purred again.  
"We can order takeway, Martin. And then we get cozy in front of the fireplace. Or we do something else. I don't care what we do, Martin. I'm happy with all your suggestions, as long as you're with me." Ben said lovingly.  
"That was lovely." Martin smiled widely.

Benedict had finished the bathtub time shortly before Martin had drifted into a nap.   
Martin's body and mind had been massively relaxed, due Ben's lovely caresses and the warm body and the warm water. He could have fallen asleep like that.  
While Benedict had ordered the pizza and had fired up fireplace, Martin had relaxed on the sofa - he had taken a rest and he had enjoeyed Benedict's head massage.  
They had eaten in front of the fireplace.

 

Benedict and Martin lay side by side in front of the fireplace.   
They both wore pajama pants; Martin a black T-shirt and Benedict wore Martins jumper, which was a bit too huge for him. During the last year, this jumper had changed his owner slowly - and now, Benedict wasn't just wearing this lovely jumper at home, he also wore at outside the house in his privatelife, and he had also wore him a few weeks ago during an interview appointent.  
Martin turned to the side, supported his head on hand, and fumbled at the jumper.   
Benedict watched him and smiled.  
"The year was absolutely lovely, Martin. I am very happy with us, what happend with - I don't mean just the the relationship, I mean all of hit, from the first day we met until now. I'm absolutely glad that you became the Watson of my Sherlock. It's lovely that wie finally met personally met and that there was immediatly that chemistry. It's great to be your friend, I love your friendship so much, and I'm happy that we haven't lost it. It's perfect, that I can say that one of my closest and best friends is my partner now. I absolutely enjoying it." Benedict smiled.

Martin eyes had wandered to Benedict's, when he had begun to talk. He didn't fumble at the jumper any longer, he caressed Ben's cheek softly.  
"That I've met you is the best thing that happened in the last... seven years, Benny. I'm incredibly happy in this relationship. You're a wonderful partner, and just like you said, I'm very happy, that you're not just my partner, but also my best friend. It was amazing and exciting to get to know you again, in this very different kind of relationship. And I also loved it to got to know all this new things with you. Go you're just gorgeous, Ben. I can't express how happy I a, that I'm the one who is allowed to be your partner." Martin smiled widely.

They bot smiled, and leaned in.   
And they both closed their eyes before their lips met for a gentle and tender kiss.   
The lips rested for a moment on each other before they started to move. Martin's tongue licked across Ben's lips, into his mouth, and he danced with Ben's tongue lovingly. ben gave Martin the lead; he enjoyed the kiss and Martins caresses in his hair.  
Martin's hand lay still in Benedict's hai, when they he slowly broke the kiss. He looked Benedict deep in the eyes.  
"I love you, Benedict" Martin breathed warmly.  
"And I love you, Martin" Benedict breathed with his deep voice.  
Martin smiled softly, and he needed to blink a few times, to be able to break the eyecontact with Ben. 

He sat up, turned his body to the coffee table, took the two filled glasses of red wine, and turned back to Benedict.   
Benedict had set up in the meantime, and took the glass which Martin handed him.   
He smiled at Martin, bowed his head and raised his glass; he locked eyes with Martin again.  
Martin smiled as well; his eyes sparkled, and he raised his glass as well.  
"To us" Ben smiled.  
"And a great new year, which we will spend together."Martin beamed.  
"And that we hopefully will end in sets of three." Benedict added with a soft and loving voice.

They clinked glasses.

Home.

**Author's Note:**

> I love home. I'd rather be at home than anywhere else.  
> \- Martin Freeman -


End file.
